Forbidden Gate
by MidnightEmber
Summary: Something, someone calls to him deep within the bowels of the Department of Mysteries and the Dark Lord needs to know what it is especially if it is linked to the Potter's. Slash-LV/HP
1. Chapter 1

**~ Forbidden Gate ~**

**Summary:** Something, someone calls to him deep within the bowls of the Department of Mysteries. The Dark Lord needs to know what it is… especially if it is linked to the Potter's.

**Pairing:** Voldemort/Harry

**Warning:** Slash, Dark Harry, Order bashing, Potter twins, Incest

**Disclaimer:** Is Harry and ambitious, cunning, sneaky Slytherin? No? Then I do not own Harry Potter.

**Legend:**

"_Parseltongue"_

_Letters/newspaper_

* * *

**~ Chapter One ~**

The atmosphere was perfect. It screamed beauty with every turn Voldemort took. He had no clue where he was, only that if he could remain for all eternity in this one spot he definitely would regardless of what occurred in the real world. This was where he wanted to belong.

Beneath his feet was a simple stone path that screamed of elegance and refinery. The path was lined with a small wall made of iron about as high as his ankle. The stone made no sound as he moved slowly forwards almost as if it were an illusion for surely something as beautiful as this land didn't exist in the real world of war, pain and destruction? Of course not he must have been dreaming but he didn't want this dream to end.

Beyond the iron wall was a field of grass that had flowers scattered randomly throughout the land as far as the eye could see. All of the flowers were done in shades of red, orange and yellow making the fields look almost alight in flame though no heat radiated from them. The colours clashed with the green of the grass making both stand out noticeably yet look perfect together at the same time. It was an odd combination that drew in the Dark Lord's imagination.

If this was a dream then did these colours symbolize something? If so then he would immediately guess that it meant the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin. However something told him that he was wrong in his assumption and it only made him more curious. What could his mind be telling him? Voldemort continued on with renewed vigour as his curiosity demanded answers that he couldn't yet obtain.

However nothing knew showed up in his journey onwards. The stone path continued rising and falling over rolling hills of flowers that seemed never-ending. He wasn't sure whether he should bother continuing down this path or not since it didn't look like the end was in sight. It was pointless to journey on when there was no goal in sight. Just as he turned around he heard something faint. Voldemort didn't know how to explain it but it sounded like…

There! There it was again. The sound so soft it sounded like the tinkling of bells or chimes in the breeze. It was pleasant and he loved the sound. For some unknown reason it calmed his senses and he revelled in that. He hadn't been this calm since he'd possessed that sloth when he was nothing more than a spirit… hadn't been the smartest move he'd ever made but it was the closest he could compare to this moment.

Was that what he was craving? Did he want to be calm for once after his resurrection a few months previously? No that wasn't quite the feeling this sound gave him it was more contentment? Yes, he was content. But what was the reason for this sudden feeling?

The sound seemed to agree with him as he heard it again only closer this time tickling the back of his ear as wind breezed by. He knew what this sound was. Sure he hadn't heard it in many years but he knew what it was. The sound he was hearing was a giggle. Sure it had been hard to place but that was only because he hadn't enjoyed hearing it in his youth. Now though this sound was something he wanted to hear more of especially if he felt this relaxed but there was something hidden in the giggle that had him stalling.

Was it because the giggle sounded like something of a mythical creature attempting to lure in prey and trap it? He knew that wasn't it because he never dreamed about something insignificant. It was either whatever the Potter child was dreaming or plans he would enact in the next month or so. Never had he dreamt of something that was simply for his pleasure. The question was, did he desire to know what was making the pleasing sound or did he want to wake now?

Another giggle urged him forward.

Deciding he needed to keep his wits about him in case it was something dangerous, Voldemort chose to analyse the sound and attempt to match it to something in his vast repertoire of knowledge he had collected over the years as he moved forward.

The voice was quiet and soft yet you could tell that the person belonging to it was male. However it held a tone that now identified made Voldemort's mind scream with caution. The tone he had heard many times by Bellatrix and the numerous inmates that had spent thirteen years in Azkaban for him. It was insanity. However this meant they were clearly unhinged in some way and he truly hoped that they were at least coherent unlike some of his lower Death Eaters.

Other than that he knew that it didn't belong to any creature as it didn't cause him to lose focus at any time which meant that there was no hypnosis or allure involved. There was nothing causing his distress either. He was in his right mind and had all thoughts and actions on willingly following the sound to lead him towards his goal whatever that may be.

"Come to me…"

Like the giggle, the voice was soft and obviously male. The voice seemed to beckon him onwards like magic though he felt none in the air or surrounding area. It drew him in like a tantalizing aroma. He knew that leaving now would not deter him from finding what was in the room. Even though there was no allure to the voice he needed to know who it belonged to. This urge was what pulled him onwards now at a swift pace so unlike the calm steps he had begun with.

The field seemed to sense his urgency and allowed the wind to pick up playing with the flower petals and making them dance in the sky for his amusement. It was nothing as such just more atmosphere to add to his already furiously beating heart. He was at a dead set run when he spotted something moving towards him in the distance.

It was a building of some king decorated in even more flowers. Somehow he knew that the answers he was searching for would be found there and walked briskly towards it. He would succeed as Lord Voldemort never fails in obtaining the information he desires.

Soon enough before him was the end of the stone path. It led to an outdoor pavilion that was completely grey in colour similar to the stone path but appeared darker form a distance. Roses climbed up the poles like a vine seeking the light and the blossoms were the colour of blood. The vines were the opposite. They were green like the composition of flowers in the fields.

These appeared harsher though than the delicate flowers in the field that were blown away in the slightest of breeze. Thorns stuck out of the vines and glinted in the nonexistent light that the dream provided. The ominous aura had Voldemort knowing that if he went to touch one he would be cut instantly. The roses, while beautiful, had the same darkness about them that cautioned him to stay away lest he be harmed.

It was an entrancing beauty but nothing could possibly compare to the person that stood within the confines of the pavilion. The person that had called him here was obviously male as he had surmised. Yet the young man before him drew Voldemort in like a moth to a flame. He'd never been attracted to another person as much as he was to this Adonis.

The man was definitely young perhaps in his mid-teens yet he stood with such confidence that it almost reminded him of himself when he was a youth. He was possibly two heads shorter than his own height with an incredibly lithe figure that probably betrayed his strength. His skin was creamy, flawless and contrasted elegantly with his long wavy black hair that was pulled back at the nape of his neck. Long black slacks hid his legs while a deep green coat wrapped around his upper body.

Avada Kedavra green eyes blazed like fire back at him into his blood red eyes. The eyes pinned him in place and kept his focus not even blinking in the seconds that past though it felt like minutes. Green and red, the very same colours that were in the fields surrounding them, we're currently mirroring each other. He couldn't believe that this was the moment the flowers had been showing him then entire journey and yet he didn't seem to care. All he knew was that this boy was someone special, someone he desired more than anything else.

If Voldemort didn't know any better he would say the boy was some type of angel sent from Heaven but he knew better. The boy was a deadly beautiful person. He was more demonic than angelic. He was purely sinful, he was special. Voldemort had to possess him by any means possible.

He wanted nothing more than to open his mouth and talk to this mystical being yet his voice wouldn't work for him. It was frustrating beyond belief that he, Dark Lord Voldemort, couldn't even control his body around this being so he settled for stepping calmly towards the young man instead. At least he had made a move, now all he wanted to hear was that soft voice as it called his name…

"Tom…"

Voldemort allowed a silent sigh of peace to escape him not even realizing it was his true name the being had spoken. He was content to remain here for the remainder of his life. Nothing would keep him away. He would possess this being if it cost him everything he had spent years of planning to create.

"Come and find me Tom!" The being reached out towards him longing in the fiery eyes.

Suddenly Voldemort felt himself being pulled backwards by a giant force that gave him no chance of resistance. The scenery that he had walked by only moments ago flashed before his eyes until he was standing outside a door one that he didn't recognize. He had appeared inside the room and believed that it was an open field so to learn that said field was in a room that was behind a possibly _real_ door was shocking. The door slammed shut in his face causing him to stumble backwards at the force.

Catching his breath after being winded he moved closer to examine the door. Gold lettering on the door caught his attention immediately on the red wood.

"Pandora's Box"

Voldemort couldn't help the gasp that escaped his mouth. No one ever spoke of this room. Supposedly it was a mere legend and yet so had Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets and he'd successfully located and opened that so why not Ravenclaw's Pandora's Box? He knew all there was about it after studying Slytherin's ancient texts. All he had to do was locate where the room was by finding a way out of this maze like building and then he could return and claim what was his to find.

Spinning on his heel, he began back tracking, making his way towards the only other door in the empty room he had arrived in hoping it was a way out and not another room filled with mysteries that Voldemort desired to solve. If he had to admit he had one weakness that was probably it, solving mysteries. Just like that Merlin damned prophecy and hadn't he screwed up that one.

All he did though was wander through a seemingly endless corridor. There were no doors and the only windows present were reflections of the room he had once been in. Hills of flowers waved back gently to him in the breeze.

"Where? Merlin damn it! Where is this so I might find you!" he shouted out in frustration pulling at his hair.

"Come for me…"

With a startled gasp, Voldemort woke.

Yes soon the boy would be his…

x-x-x-x-x

The Dark Lord sat elegantly in his chair at the head of the table in the meeting room before his most trusted followers, his Inner Circle. Many of the Light Order would comment that he never thought of anyone as his equal for most were unworthy and they were correct. He didn't believe that someone would ever be his equal not even the Potter brat however his Inner Circle came closer than anyone else could get to claiming that title.

His Inner Circle only consisted of a few select people: Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, Rudolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, Barty Crouch Junior and Augustus Rookwood. However he didn't need to place his trust in any other as they were all he needed. They were the best and brightest at what they did and they knew it.

"My Lord, please excuse my forwardness but you should be resting. It has only been a few months since you have had your body returned and combined with the potions you have taken to return your previous physical appearance you need to rest and recuperate while they settle." Severus voiced.

"If I do not, will there be any setbacks?" Voldemort enquired.

"No however it would be more beneficial for you if you did."

"I shall take that into account now report to me on your findings so far."

Severus sighed inaudibly but nodded. He was spying for the Dark Lord which wasn't truly that dangerous especially when the Light fools believed it whenever you said you were repenting. Dumbledore was a sucker for second chances and it had been easy to "return" to his master and beg for his life on Dumbledore's "orders" after his Lord's resurrection a few months previously. He was in the perfect position to gather useful information for his Lord and that was what he would do.

"The Order of the Phoenix isn't prepared for what you are planning at all. All they are currently doing is gathering members that are willing to fight and that agree that you have returned my Lord. Mostly that is every member that is still alive from the original Order and that of their adult children. There truly aren't that many members and most of them spend their time fawning over Potter to be of any hindrance to us."

Everyone snickered then. It was common knowledge that Christopher Potter was a stuck up, spoilt brat that had no chance of defeating their Lord. The Light saw hope in winning the war and the Dark saw the same yet for different reasons. The Light believed that Christopher held some mythical power that would emerge and defeat him when the time came. He was held as the only person in the world who could supposedly defeat the Dark Lord. The Dark believed that Potter was a failure that would die the next time the Dark Lord met him after all their Lord was all powerful.

Potter had been too spoiled by not only his parents but the entire Wizarding world for him not to be lazy. All students that didn't fall for the Boy-Who-Lived Syndrome knew that he was a true Gryffindor not because he was brave but because he was purely arrogant, rash and foolish. Someone like that would not defeat the Dark Lord not even with miracle training.

"Did the Potter's not have twins?"

The room fell into silence once again. It was common knowledge to all that the Potter's had twins on July 31st. The eldest had been named Christopher Percival Potter in honour of the Light Lord Dumbledore and the younger Harrison James Potter. The proud godparents had been Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin respectively. They had been a tight nit family until that Halloween night.

Lucius cleared his throat uncomfortably and answered.

"My Lord it is not known what they did to the younger son but no one has seen or heard of him since that Halloween night though it is well known that he still lives because of the family tapestry. I know for a fact that whatever they did to the younger son, Lupin, the boy's godfather, disagreed with severely as he hasn't been in contact with them since. I believe that he went travelling and upon returning to Britain five years ago he went and joined with his sire Fenrir Greyback."

"Harrison isn't Potter Manor or Godric's Hollow either. I have been there numerous times because of the brat but he never showed up on any of the discrete scans I used. There was a faint signature in one of the rooms however it was the nursery you attacked them in. There aren't any pictures on any of the walls though there are hundreds of the older Potter spawn." Severus explained.

Supposedly the sudden disappearance of the younger twin had been splashed across headlines when the Potter heir was eleven and the Boy-Who-Lived Syndrome had worn off on a few of the people. Harrison had never turned up at the Sorting Ceremony at Hogwarts and his name wasn't on any other school registers. It was like he had died though the certificates they had and the family tapestry proved he was still amongst the living. The Wizarding world had immediately thought it suspicious and voiced their opinions.

When James and Lily had been interviewed over it they hadn't cared. In fact they didn't even know where their son was all they knew was that they "had the son the public adored and that was enough for them". This line had sickened Britain so much that the Potter's were openly disdained now and everyone believed whatever they spouted as lies. The Boy-Who-Lived and his family were no longer great icons they were simply seen as embarrassments. Unfortunately Dumbledore hadn't been dragged down with them.

"I see. We shall attempt to locate him then. I want to see for myself whether the younger sibling would consider joining our ranks then."

The Inner Circle nodded in earnest. It definitely would be a wise move considering that Harrison was more loved by the people than his brother. Also since Christopher appeared to be very weak in his magic it was assumed that Harrison was stronger.

"Lucius, what do you have to report?"

"The Ministry isn't concerned with us at the current point in time. Fudge doesn't even believe Dumbledore and is spending more time trying to discredit the old man and his beloved toy. We shouldn't have to worry about any of that now."

"The Unspeakables are restless. There is something in the Department of Mysteries that is unsettling them. The way they speak it is almost as if a room has come alive and they avoid it at all costs. I have been allowed to enter by the entity but only as far as the door. Otherwise it remains sealed at all times. My belief is that only those possessing your mark can enter as far as the door whatever is beyond the door awaits you my Lord. This theory was proved accurate when the time predicted the room awoke coincided with your resurrection." Rookwood followed.

A door? Now why did that sound familiar?

"_Come for me…"_

Ah, yes, his dream of the male that was in the field. Could he possibly exist? If what Augustus said was true than the room at least existed he just didn't know where exactly it was. But that was simple since Augusts had actually been to the door. He could actually enter Pandora's Box like he had the Chamber of Secrets. His red eyes glistened in power and desire that had the entire Inner Circle curious.

"Where is the room?"

"It is known as Pandora's Box in the Forbidden Room, my Lord. It is one the same level as the Time Room, the Prophecy Room and the Space Room though it is significantly more difficult to locate since it is supposedly a myth and not an actual room."

"Very well, you shall find a way for me to gain entrance to this room by the end of the year Augusts. I will not have failure in this. Use the Outer Circle for guinea pigs if you must but bring me results."

Augusts nodded his head in acceptance at the difficult task he was presented.

"Lucius you shall continue what you are doing. Confuse the Minister and those around him while attempting to draw those sympathetic to our cause. We will need them later. Bellatrix, Rabastan and Rudolphus you shall be going to see our allies and telling them of the Dark's resurrection to power once again. This time we shall not be defeated by a mere child."

"Yes my Lord." The four echoed.

"Severus when you return and attend their next meeting you will tell them that I am after an object at the Department of Mysteries perhaps in the room of Prophecies would be a good object to gain their attention. They will be so worried about the prophecy that I already know thanks to you that they will ignore the attention I pay to the Forbidden Room. You will also speak to them of our allegiances to the other creatures. I am positive that they will not find any sympathetic to their cause though they may try."

"Barty, I want you to continue training the younger recruits. They only have a Hogwarts curriculum and what their parents have taught them. As they are they will be useless to me. I need them to be able to attack and attack hard."

Severus nodded his head, as did Barty and he dismissed them all to do their set tasks.

Yes everything would work out perfectly. Dumbledore and his band of merry Light wizards would be so focused on protecting the one thing he already knew that they would ignore any focus he may place on the Forbidden Room. Maybe he could even use that annoying link he had with that Potter brat to back his false plans. After all he wasn't the only one mentioned in the prophecy and with the brats curious nature it would be too easy to lure him there for a diversion.

Whilst everyone was looking elsewhere he could easily slip in and go the Forbidden Room and claim what was his to begin with what he searched for. His own curious nature would be satisfied while the brat went unanswered. After all there was nothing more than he wanted right now than to know who was behind the door called Pandora's Box in the Forbidden Room and how they knew his true name…

* * *

**So seriously... Good? Bad?**

**Anyway this is a bit of plot that has been running rampant in my mind for a while. I figure it is better to just write it down than leave it. So this is like a teaser chapter to catch interest and see whether it's worth continuing. Now to focus on my current stories.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Chapter Two ~**

The endless hills that were covered in green grass and vibrant red flowers were all he could see. This time however they seemed to shift as if they weren't actually hills but waves in the ocean. The movement was slightly hypnotic and Voldemort couldn't help but stare at the entrancing sight before him. The Dark Lord had never been one for beauty and yet he found this place to be something other worldly. Pandora's Box was a very mythical location that one would never usually see however he was blessed with this sight for a second time.

That was something in which he would have under any other circumstances boasted about before Dumbledore and his pathetic group of misfits or even his own followers to reveal how superior he was to them. Yet he kept this information to a bare minimum even within his own Inner Circle. He would never permit anyone to see what he could without his permission first or even before he managed to complete this puzzle. No, this was for him and for him alone.

A displacement of earth beneath him sent him sprawling backwards but it caused him to snap back into focus. Instantly he knew that he was once again in the field where he first met that alluring person he so wanted to bring back from this desolate place and keep with him forever, he was in Pandora's Box.

Standing, he wondered how he was going to make the journey to the pavilion considering that the hills continued to roll in a slow manor that belayed the force of the movement. Voldemort scowled into the distance in frustration. He needed to be by the young man's side and he couldn't very well do that by remaining at the beginning.

The fields looked as peaceful as ever but he knew that he wouldn't make the journey to see the mystery young man if he walked there. It was just suicidal and he'd be knocked about by the force until he was covered in bruises that would be very noticeable against his pale skin should they actually turn up on his skin when he woke. That would cause too many problems for him.

His most trusted of his Inner Circle knew of this room and his interest in it, not of what was inside but it was enough to guess what occurred should he arrive to meetings with bruises covering his body. They would instantly assume the worst. They would naturally assume that the ritual Wormtail had performed wasn't working and the potions that Severus had fed him to keep him stable and return some of his previous features had failed.

They would panic and keep attempt to do everything they could do make him better regardless of the risk to their own lives. It would turn into a disaster and he wasn't about to accept that yet. He would not give up on this plan.

One of the many things that actually aided him in his recovery was this room and he wasn't about to let that go especially with his mysterious figure that spoke to him. If there was one thing that he would never give up it was coming to be merely in his presence every day or night. It was here that he truly acted as himself.

Voldemort couldn't help but sigh as he felt his muscles relax in the atmosphere the room held. Even if the fields were a welcome sight to the bloodshed that he enacted daily to keep up appearance for other spies that were lurking amongst his ranks he couldn't help but remain tense every other day. This was the only place he could truly relax and it was a god send.

"Good evening, Tom."

Voldemort turned suddenly drawing his wand to see his mysterious man sitting in the gazebo. That caused him to blink and turn back towards the hills. He hadn't even realized that he was so close to the end of the stone road or the gazebo. Like last time he had believed that he would have to travel the entire way to meet with him.

It appeared as if the man had brought Voldemort to him to make things easier now that he knew the way and wasn't likely to forget in any hurry. That would also explain why the hills shifted as if sentient. They were a defence mechanism for intruders that wished to disturb the young man.

"Come take a seat."

The invite was taken immediately as for the first time he entered the gazebo and sat close to his mysterious person on the cushions that had mystically appeared since the last time he had visited him a month ago. There were even drapes hanging from the top of the gazebo that had him entranced. Surprisingly they were all done in shades of grey and not the usual red or green that blanketed the area.

Voldemort turned his focus to the young man before him resisting the urge to move closer and touch the milky pale skin he possessed. He was so close to the person and yet he instinctively knew that he wouldn't be able to touch him in his dream only in real life.

"There are many things I would like to ask you." The young man asked breaking the silence. "However I will answer some of your own questions that I may answer first."

Voldemort jumped as the melodious voice drifted to him. Then he narrowed his eyes. Yes there were many questions that he wanted to ask but only one that mattered to him personally.

"How did you know my true name and not the one I created?"

The man laughed sounding like small chimes clinging together in a calm wind. It was pure music to his ears.

"Of all the questions you have, that is the first you ask? You are a strange man Tom however I shall answer."

There was a slight pause as if he were considering how to answer the question. Voldemort watched as the breeze played with the mystery man's waist long black hair. He was gorgeous but Voldemort couldn't touch him, soon but not yet.

"I learn many things while trapped here, after all who better to have as a teaching aid than a group of Unspeakables?" he began. "However that isn't the only way I can learn and certainly not the way I discovered your true name."

"From this room I can travel anywhere I choose in the Department of Mysteries. None that pass through the halls see me so I remain untouchable even to those with the sharpest eyes. It is a very rewarding experience. The different rooms accompanied with the Unspeakables knowledge reveals many different things to me. The one that caught my attention however was a birth certificate belonging to an orphan named Tom Marvolo Riddle that was in the Ministry files."

Voldemort startled at that. He hadn't believed that anything with his original name in it existed any longer apart from that one trophy at Hogwarts for "services" to the school. Anything else containing his name had been destroyed by him personally even the orphanage in which he had grown up in. He had single handily wiped out everything pertaining to his past on his travels.

If something had survived then he would be at risk when it came time to actually confirming that he was Tom Riddle, heir to Slytherin. Sure Dumbledore already knew his identity because he had taught the young Dark Lord as a child but this was different. He didn't need others to locate proof that Tom Riddle and Lord Voldemort were one in the same. If that happened before he was ready all his plans would be ruined!

The youth before him smiled knowingly.

"Have no fear Tom. I kept the item before someone of importance came looking for it. It is now hidden in this room somewhere and since you are the only person who can enter it won't fall into the wrong hands and even at the chance that someone did enter they would have to search the entire room for it. However that one sheet of minimal information drew me on a search. It held some meaning for me and I desired to know what it was. I needed to know who you were so I could discover why I felt so personally connected to you."

The young man stood and walked around the pavilion to look out at the shifting fields.

"This room as you may have noticed is more than it appears. I can manipulate certain aspects of it to witness specific things I hear of or am curious about in the outside world since it's the closest I can actually get to being part of your world. When I became obsessed with your name, I used the room to scry for information about you. It revealed a large amount of information that normal people will never find Tom. Add that to the information that I matched to the Department's meagre finds and I know everything there is about you."

"Could this room be used against you should you leave?"

The question seemed to startle the young man. Voldemort managed to catch a few flickers of emotions that crossed the beauties face before it became blank again. The looks ranged from disbelief to anger then sorrow and finally acceptance. Perhaps he had never believed that he could find a way out of the room. Maybe no one had ever attempted to free the young man before.

"This room is more than just a simple room as I have told you previously. This room is my mind and should I leave this 'room' then it will cease to exist physically. Instead if I allowed you to enter my mind once outside of this place you would once again enter this room."

Silence followed that. Voldemort didn't have any clue what the young man was speaking of. It came to him in riddles that confused and frustrated him more than anything else. If the room was inside his mind did that mean that Voldemort was there now or did this room have a physical plane as well as a mental one? In that case where was his body? Was he even awake and aware of what occurred around him?

There were so many questions that had awakened within him and yet none of which he knew would be answered this time. However he had a feeling that wasn't the case. It was him that didn't want to discover whether the young man before him was truly alive. He feared that if he wasn't that the Dark Lord would return to the monster he was before they had met and he never desired to see that again.

The emerald eyed wonder turned to face him leaning on the edge of the pavilion that knowing look returning to his eye. "I believe there was something else that you desired to ask me?"

Voldemort's heart beat like a drum in his chest. There were so many questions that he had yet to find answers to and some he didn't yet desire to know. Did this beauty even know where he was or who he was? At least if he begun with small questions then he would get to know more about him and gain the young man's trust along the way.

"What is your name?"

The young male smirked at him. It led Voldemort to believe that he had secrets that he would reveal at a later time if at all. That at least gave him a small amount of hope that was foreign to his emotional range.

"The few Unspeakables that knew of my existence called me Ariel Ashling. Ariel means "Lion of God" however Ashling I believe they simply created on a whim after they had finished experimenting on me after all I was someone born anew like a Phoenix that rises from the ashes after its burning day. I was a new being, a rare being and one that they feared."

The name oddly enough suited him. It matched the way he seemed to prowl around topics that didn't agree with what he desired to speak of. He was certainly a very dictatorial lion. Ariel knew what he wanted and what he wanted he received much like Voldemort himself. However the last name confused him. Had they named him Ariel Ashling because he had been reborn as this person after some sort of experimentation? It would fit Ariel's belief over the Phoenix at least.

If he was an experiment then what kind of parent would allow their child to be taken and handled in such a way? Every wizarding family knew that the Unspeakables only cared for their scientific and magical results and not the process in which they arrived at them so many remained as far away from them as possible. Could Ariel have been an orphan?

Just thinking about the possibility caused Voldemort to scowl. However, no, that didn't fit the facts at all. Even if he looked unique, Voldemort could almost swear that he looked similar to that of someone he knew perhaps one the pureblood families that served under him? There was just something about him that was recognizable as one of the pureblood families. Perhaps it was the striking aristocratic features of his young face? Voldemort looked contemplative before he asked his next question.

"Is Ariel your birth name?"

Again the laugh that sounded of chimes caused shivers down his spine. Ariel moved back towards the Dark Lord again amusement clear on his face.

"No, Ariel is not my birth name. As I said before, it is the name given to me after my rebirth though you will not be able to ask them for this information as I killed the ones who created me after they had named me. I was dreadfully angry at what they had put me through and that included my parents and those close to them."

Voldemort noticed the dark gleam in his eyes and didn't doubt it for an instant. It shocked him that someone with such a Light oriented name was blessed with such dark magic but he loved the paradox all the same. It just caused Ariel to become even more enchanting to his Dark nature.

Yet he couldn't help but wonder over Ariel's birth name and the parents and friends of said parents. He didn't need to know but it was a part of the puzzle that made him unique and something special to wonder over. One way or another he would discover Ariel's birth name just so he had the knowledge for himself especially if he believed he had to hide the information from the one person who could communicate to him from the outside world.

But it wasn't just for him that he was preparing all of this for either. It was for Ariel. Voldemort had killed his father after learning of the dirty muggle that turned his mother away. He had enjoyed the feeling as his relatives died a look of pure horror on their faces at what they had done to their son and grandson. It had been pure bliss. Ariel however probably didn't have that same feeling. His instincts told him that Ariel's biological parents were still alive and well. Voldemort would do everything in his power to get Ariel's gratification at the knowledge his tormentors were finally dead.

"I think I have earned a question now, don't you?" Ariel asked startling Voldemort from his thoughts.

Obediently, Voldemort nodded and inwardly cheered at the small smile that blossomed over Ariel's face. That small stunning smile would be his only. No one would be allowed to see it again.

"Very well firstly I must ask what you are planning. What is it that you hope to achieve by attacking the Light Lord Dumbledore?"

Voldemort was purely flabbergasted. Never had he expected for Ariel to ask such a difficult question first up. He had kept all of his questions simple in an attempt to lure Ariel into trusting him however it appeared as if Ariel didn't trust very well and wasn't very open about what he spoke about yet manipulated others into speaking of what he desired to know.

"What of simpler questions?"

Ariel smirked. Voldemort knew it was a futile question but he needed to know what led Ariel to asking this question before he even attempted to answer it.

"Tom, I already know everything there is to know about you. What I don't know is what you think. I want to know what drives you to achieve these goals and what you plan to do once they are achieved. What is that you hope to achieve by what you are planning?"

He nodded accepting this answer easily. Ariel did already know everything there was to know about him.

"I realized at a young age that there were several things wrong with the way the wizarding world was governed. For one orphaned magical children had to remain at their orphanages until they either came of age or were adopted but by the time it was already too late for adoption not many people would want older children that were being sent to a private school by the school's own funding. There were no special orphanages for children like that. They were left to be forgotten by everyone and thought of as pathetic and weak."

Ariel knew that Tom was speaking from personal experience. An orphanage was a terrible place to grow up at least it had been for Tom who had been bullied at a young age but quickly began paying back his tormentors after discovering what he could accomplish.

"From there it went to discovering that only Light magic was acceptable in society. Everything Dark was shunned for being abnormal even those with creature inheritance. Nothing considered Dark to the Ministry was allowed to be a part of society at all. They weren't allowed to have jobs or homes. The Ministry forbid them from having a family and that included marriage and adoption of children since they weren't permitted to have them biologically. The entire system was a travesty and everyone who was Light accepted the system because it worked for them."

"I knew that I needed to make it more acceptable for these people. They were just like me, hiding their darker nature to be accepted in their own society. We were all hiding what we truly were inside and that was causing the magic in the world to crumble beneath the pressure. There was no balance to the magic and without the balance everything was beginning to fall. It caused more squibs and mudbloods to be born and the purebloods were beginning to die out."

Here Voldemort paused in thought. It must have been difficult, Ariel mused, to bare his soul to Ariel who in light of everything was a complete stranger to the man. They had only met twice even if Ariel had watched Tom for years. To do this would have taken a lot of reasoning from the man and even if this was what Ariel truly desired he didn't understand what caused the Dark Lord to hand his secrets over to him without anything substantial in return. It was truly a mystery and one that Ariel was determined to solve.

"However that was where I hit a problem. I couldn't make these changes legally like I had originally planned. None of the Light supporters would consider it since they were happy with the current state of politics and laws and the Dark supporters wouldn't support someone unknown and with little credit as openly as that. That was when I first heard of Grindewald. Everyone was speaking of him. Sure he wasn't someone well liked amongst society but he was attempting to make things better even if that included the blood supremacy."

"Do you support that idea?" Ariel cut through.

Voldemort scowled at being interrupted but answered unwilling to create any more distance between them than there already was.

"The only reason I agree with it currently is because the mudbloods are killing off the purebloods as I mentioned before. The balance between Light and Dark is off-kilter and is creating more of them when it should be the other way around. My theory is proven also when the Weasley's a known light family continue to spawn children whilst dark families such as the Malfoy's can only produce one heir. So yes I agree with blood supremacy since it will aid in harmonizing the balance."

The Dark Lord obviously expected him to say something else so it shocked him when he simply made a continue motion with his hands. If Ariel was truthful he would admit that he didn't care at all about any of that. He only wanted to see the Light wizards pay for what they did to him especially his family. If there was an explanation for why the Dark Lord was determined to support something then that was good enough reason for Ariel to believe it as well until he was proven wrong by another source.

"Grindewald was a true Dark Lord." Voldemort continued. "When he first began gaining support the Dark had hope that he would lead them to salvation. Eventually even that was dashed when Dumbledore defeated him and imprisoned him in Numergard. They no longer had anyone to fight for them. So I decided to take his place. However it didn't particularly matter even know Dumbledore is still the one everyone turns to. He is still the one making all the rules and I can no longer allow that."

"The headmaster of Hogwarts is the only person standing in my way to righting this world and the balance. I will see that he is removed from the equation. Then everyone will be able to live the way they were meant to be with both the Dark and Light in perfect balance."

Ariel took time to think on this. He knew that Dumbledore wasn't the only person standing in the Dark Lord's way however he was one of the more prominent figures in society. Once he was gone that would only leave one person left.

"What will you do of Christopher Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived?"

Voldemort snarled.

"That spoilt brat couldn't stop me even if he attempted to. He wasn't sorted into Gryffindor for his bravery no he was sorted there because he is arrogant just like his father. He is nothing more than a child and doesn't possess any power or ability to stop me regardless of what Dumbledore and the Light believe."

Ariel smirked and Voldemort noticed. Obviously the Potter family was someone that Ariel didn't like for what reason was unknown to Voldemort but he also knew that Ariel didn't like Dumbledore either. There were so many secrets that Ariel was hiding and some that the Dark Lord desired to know more than anything in the world yet knew he would never get an answer to. Finally Voldemort settled on asking a simple question.

"Why have you asked these questions Ariel? What purpose is this to you?"

Turning towards the Dark Lord, Ariel's smirk only widened.

"I wanted to make sure that when I am released from here I will make the correct decision about what side to ally myself with and not decided something that I will regret for the remainder of my life."

That led the Dark Lord to believe that Ariel had been watching the Light for a long time as well in an attempt to make a decision about the war and who to support. He was placing a lot of thought into this decision which was something Voldemort believed to be very note worthy. It caused Voldemort to believe that whatever side Ariel allied himself with would win the war. However what caught his notice the most was his first few words.

"When you get out?" Voldemort asked raising an eyebrow slightly.

He had been positive that Ariel believed he would never be free from this place to the point of giving up and simply surviving by remaining here. So it came as a surprise to him that Ariel said he was leaving with such a determined air about him.

"Yes Tom when because I know that you are determined to release me from this prison and anything that you are determined about you will succeed in." Ariel's eyes glittered in determination. A decision had obviously been made then.

"What have you decided then Ariel?"

Ariel blessed him with a small smile.

"It will be a pleasure to join you in your crusade against the Light, Tom. No matter what you go through, no matter what you shall learn, I will be by your side every step of the way."

Voldemort moved forward to touch his beautiful treasure and yet Ariel simply smirked as the world around them disappeared into nothing and he was denied his chance.

* * *

**So I have another chapter! Thanks for everyone who reviewed this story love you all ^.^**

**~MidnightEmber**


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Chapter Three ~**

It was humid. The air around him smelt putrid and he could barely breathe. The sun's rays beat down on him causing sweat to pour down his body. The light itself burned his skin nearly as much as the sand did. He realized he should have made an attempt at transfiguring something for himself however it didn't appear that he had his wand with him which he found curious. Since when did he leave his wand anywhere? The last place he'd left his wand was by his bedside table before saying goodnight to his friends.

He was so sure that was the last place he had been, in the bed next to Ron's after talking about the girls. He couldn't say gossiping because that would be too girly yet it seemed to fit. Lavender had been eyeing Ron that day and giggling like only a girl with a crush could. It was so obvious and Ron lapped it up. Of course it didn't help that Parvati was making eyes at him and then that useless girl Hermione who was also in Gryffindor scolded them for not paying attention to their work. Honestly she would have done better in Ravenclaw but he couldn't resist being smug knowing she had chosen Gryffindor because of him.

Of course who wouldn't chose to side with the Boy-Who-Lived? He was the epitome of all Light and Good. He was the Golden Boy of Hogwarts known for his numerous pranks on other houses and teaching staff. Everything that a Gryffindor should be was everything he was and everyone in the wizarding world knew it. He was like a god in their eyes.

But he was getting away from himself now… he could always have others stoke his ego later… what had he originally been thinking of? Oh, that was right, the place he'd mysteriously found himself in.

Damn heat stroke…

Well at least he'd figured out he was dreaming since the Tower was the last thing he remembered. However this obviously wasn't a normal dream at least not for him in any way. This place was completely desolate and like no other place he'd ever been to before so to be dreaming of such a landscape was certainly odd at least for him. His imagination wasn't this peculiar.

This place was what muggles called a desert. He knew from his mother's endless lectures of the world and what was in it that the desert wasn't a place a person would survive in for long without supplies. Not only was there no water around for him to drink but his body would sweat the water he already had out of his body faster than in a normal climate. Then there were the animals that inhabited this part of the world.

Scorpions and snakes were highly poisonous and they were only the non-magical beings in the area. He hadn't truly payed any attention in Care of Magical Creatures since it was such a lame subject however he knew that some magical-beings were attracted to the warmer climate and could easily hide amongst the shifting dunes that the desert provided as a natural habitat.

As he turned around trying to locate something to give him direction he cursed as he realized the only things he could see where the endless sand dunes and the sun. There was nothing surrounding him. Nothing that could help him locate where exactly he was to call for help. In short he had no idea where he was or why he was there. All he knew was that he wanted out and fast.

Stumbling he began to move in the direction of the sun. That would either be east or west so he should eventually find something. Hopefully nightfall would be a little better than this blistering heat however he doubted he would get a reprieve. All he could do was hope that nothing found him while he was wondering out here.

Questions arose in him while he trenched through the sand. Why hadn't anyone noticed that he was missing? Had they simply forgotten that he was there? No, that wasn't right. He was the wizarding world's saviour of course someone would notice he was missing! That just meant that something had happened to his family and friends and they couldn't come to rescue him since they were in trouble themselves.

He wondered what trouble his parents had gotten into. Surely Dumbledore could easily get them out if it were something simple. He sighed. Things just weren't making any sense to him. There wasn't anything out here. Then something moved ominously beneath his feet.

Whimpering he tried not to move too suddenly. If it were a snake he could be poisoned and die out here leaving everyone to worry about him. Then again if it was simply a plant like Devil's Snare he would have to wait until it stopped moving before he could attempt to move again.

Unfortunately luck was against him. It was quick sand.

Try as he might there was no way he was getting out of this one. If he struggled he would die quickly and if he did nothing at all he would die slowly. With nothing to grab onto to pull himself out and no wand to conjure anything he was pretty much dead to the world. No one would be able to locate his body in amongst all of this sand. He would remain entombed here in this waste land forever.

Just as he realized he was as good as dead he noticed an animal. It was a snake, slithering along the sand leaving wispy patterns behind it. The snake stopped directly before him. It was close enough for him to see detail but far enough away not to be caught in the quick sand like him. Stupid, smart, stuck up snakes, he thought dispassionately. Why couldn't they ever leave him alone?

However as soon as he stopped paying attention to the snake, another showed up with more following behind it. They all stopped as soon as they reached the quick sand that was now sitting comfortably around his waist. More creatures joined them including vultures, scorpions the size of those annoying Blast-Ended Skrewts and a few other magical creatures he couldn't identify but looked dangerous.

He swallowed nervously. What were they here for? Were they simply waiting for him to die by suffocation before they feasted upon his body? He whimpered desperately trying not to struggle.

That was when he saw him. The young man before him couldn't be any older than he was himself yet exuded pure power that left him in awe. This was what true power felt like. This was what the wizarding world looked in him for. They wanted a strong leader who wasn't afraid of anything yet he was definitely afraid of what stood before him. This person screamed obedience and royalty.

He was refined even beneath the torture the sun was bearing upon him. This man remained completely unfazed. Animals crawled around him not at all concerned that he was stepping in their way. They just moved around him and here he was batting them away with a dead tree branch. He looked gorgeous.

Sure he wasn't one for checking out guys but he couldn't dismiss this person. The raven hair that fell in waves to the small of his back and the emerald green eyes that gleamed like jewels were just the beginning. This young man was pale with perfect skin that would make any woman jealous. Regardless of this heat he wore a black robe that was obviously expensive by the look of the cut and the slacks beneath. He was slim almost feminine in appearance which didn't help his little problem. He really shouldn't have been thinking about sleeping with this beauty when he was stuck up to the chest in quick sand.

"Help…"

God even his voice sounded feeble but in his defence he'd been stuck here for a good few hours.

"Please help me…" he begged attempting to still look ravishing.

If he could he might still be in with a chance to sleep with him once he was back in the safety of either Hogwarts of Godric's Hollow whichever his parents felt was safer given the circumstances. They couldn't mind if he brought home his saviour and _rewarded_ him with something many wished.

The charismatic young man gave a devastating smile that had him shuddering.

"Is the great saviour unable to save himself from a little sand?"

Merlin, he panted, even his voice was heavenly. There was no way he was allowing this one to get away from him. Wait wasn't this a dream? Did that mean that this person was something of his imagination? He certainly hoped not especially when he was hard simply imaging this person lying on his bed.

"You'll be rewarded… for your help…" he panted.

The young man smirked devilishly. This person was definitely a Slytherin. Somehow he couldn't find the ability to care. He wanted to have this person by his side, waiting for him to defeat the great Dark Lord. Tenderly the beauty reached out and caressed his face sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.

"My pathetic little lion, how will you save the world when you can't even save yourself?"

He looked up at this god-like creature in disbelief. His beauty wasn't going to save him?

"Please… Ariel…"

He inhaled a little bit of sand and choked. This wasn't happening. Yet his beloved continued to watch as he sunk below the sand, choking as the sand filled his lungs. Tears sprung from his eyes. Perhaps there was nothing his beauty could do for him after all he didn't want him to also fall into the quick sand and suffer the same fate. No he wanted this young man to live!

The last look he had was of all the animals swarming above him regardless of the quick sand eager to eat his dying body. Spasms racked his body as the animals attacked somehow bypassing all the sand and not dying themselves. This pain was like nothing he ever felt before. It was excruciating and yet all he could think about was that young man.

Christopher Harold Potter screamed.

All the boys in his dorm immediately woke to the sound of his scream as he woke from his dream. The pain was somehow still there yet in his mind all he could see was his beauty and the hardness merely thinking of that perfect unblemished skin.

Eventually he was taken to the Hospital Wing when he became nonresponsive yet he didn't care. Potions were forced into him to stop the spasms and the pain even to send him to sleep. Yet no one seemed to notice the hardness in his pants. No one noticed that his panting wasn't from the screaming or the 'fear' he felt.

It didn't matter though, he thought, there is only one thing I need. Yes… that beauty is mine.

x-x-x-x-x

Ariel opened his eyes blinking as his prison came into focus. This place was beginning to get so boring. Everyone he brought here all attempted to free him from his cage and yet none had succeeded. There was always something wrong with the person he chose. They were either not powerful enough to enter the premises or they weren't intelligent enough to figure out where he was.

Then there were the numerous men who only continued to dream about him for his body and the pleasures he would obviously give them. Merlin some of them were sick enough to lust after him even as a child no older than five. Of course they always whispered that he was just like a doll that they would cherish for eternity however they never lasted.

He had tried numerous times to lead people to him through their dreams. While others he would simply torture. He was bored, he was lonely and he needed something to keep himself entertained. Yet things only appeared to escalate as the years wore on.

People that weren't deemed strong enough perished or were imprisoned, attempting to set him free. Those that weren't intelligent enough searched the world over for his location. They died as old men yes, but without anything to their name. Those that lusted after him died alone usually insane from loving a figment of their imagination or slipped into coma until Ariel bored of them. No one had yet to overcome these to reach him and everyone that attempt to, perished for him.

Yet he felt love for those dead souls that he had accumulated over the years and they were all with him in this hell waving innocently at him from the fields. Each a shade of red, orange or yellow that reflected what their intent had been. Of course not many people realized that as they entered this place. Once they noticed him beneath the gazebo of red roses, green thorns and silver décor, they lost attention. They didn't realize that they too would join the endless fields if they failed and he didn't warn them.

Being trapped in this hell had twisted him like a poison that was slipped into a seasoned wine. He cared more for the dead than he did for the living that had yet to set him free.

Ariel couldn't help the tear that slid down his face as he lay in the gazebo listening as the flowers whispered comfortingly to him. No matter what he thought he still desired freedom. He still wanted to see the sky to feel the air upon his face. There were so many things he wanted to do and in this imaginary world he would never achieve any of that.

"Please… someone help me… someone save me from this hell."

x-x-x-x-x

"My poor baby!"

Chris grimaced as his mother ran through the Hospital Wing and straight towards his usual bed. It had only been a few hours since he'd awoken to find himself in the Hospital Wing with no existing injuries. To say Madam Pomphrey was baffled was an understatement. It was like he'd never been injured to begin with. But then again what harm could a dream do?

"I'm fine mum! There is nothing wrong with me. I could probably walk out of here right now if it weren't for Madam Pomphrey and her constant worrying." Chris grumbled.

He was sixteen not six. When he got hurt it wasn't likely that he would run for help or cry for mummy. He'd just continue on if it wasn't that bad. However being the Boy-Who-Lived had its down sides and this was just one of many including the press.

"Now you listen here young man! Something was terribly wrong with you last night and Poppy had all the right in the world to be worried. You were screaming and yet unresponsive to anyone including both your father and I so don't give me that! You will remain here until Poppy is satisfied that you are fit to leave do I make myself clear." Lily said.

He sighed, overprotective parents, that was all he needed.

"Actually he is free to leave," Poppy said entering the room. "There is nothing wrong with him and he appears to be fine however if there is anything that bothers you, you will return immediately is that understood."

Chris nodded meekly before jumping out of bed. There was no way he was going to remain here. If there was one place in the entire world he despised it was Hogwarts' Hospital Wing. Besides he had research to do.

"_My… little lion…"_

He needed to locate Ariel though how he had known that his beauties name was Ariel was another question entirely. It didn't matter for now. All he wanted was to know who he was and whether or not he was nearby. Where did he live? Was he younger than he first appeared or older? Did he have anyone that he loved? Was he willing to be in a committed relationship with the Boy-Who-Lived?

Sure Ariel hadn't saved him from the quick sand in his dream but that didn't mean anything. Ariel hadn't wanted to place his own life in danger so much like the snakes that had surrounded him towards the end. Yes Ariel was perfect Slytherin material yet he couldn't bring himself to care. Chris had found the one person he desired to spend the remainder of his life with and it wasn't Ron's little sister like everyone kept hinting at.

Sure a few months ago perhaps he would have agreed that Ginny and him had some sort of chemistry but he didn't want to marry Ginny. She was great but too much like a little sister to him for him to see her in such a way. No in this way Ariel was perfect. He was stunning, drop dead gorgeous and obviously all around lovely. No one could resist his charms not even his parents.

Speaking of which…

"Hey mum do we know anyone by the name of Ariel?" he asked.

Lily looked up shocked as her son asked such a random question. Was this something to do with his dream or something else entirely? Judging by the looks her son was giving her it was a mix of both.

"Not that I know of sweetheart. Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious since I'd heard the name mentioned somewhere but couldn't figure out who it belonged to. Don't worry I'll just look through some old photos to see if that's where I've heard it before." Chris said smiling.

That was frustrating. He had thought that perhaps his mother would know someone anyone by the name of Ariel since she was the Muggle Studies teacher but he guessed not. Ariel didn't appear to be a person who would socialize with muggles or muggleborns.

"Do you know his… err her… last name?" Lily asked curiously. She wanted to find this person her son was so focused on.

"Him, mum, and no I don't quite remember his last name though I think it starts with A." He frowned.

Ariel A… something… yes it was familiar but he couldn't quite remember what the rest was. He sighed. Damn dreams, if only he could remember the rest of it. It would make his search so much simpler.

Lily watched her son frown. Obviously this was something that he truly wanted to search for otherwise he wouldn't put as much into it as he was doing. Normally with school work he had to be pushed by everyone to even manage an Acceptable on his end of year scores. For Quidditch it was simple. He enjoyed doing the exercise for that and it showed in his strength and agility not only the numerous years he had won the cup for his house. So for him to be placing so much effort into this search of his it must have been important to him.

"Don't worry darling I'm sure you'll find your mystery man soon enough. Why don't you go and get something to eat before going through the old photos?" Lily suggested lightly.

Luckily he listened to her and wondered off towards the Great Hall still in deep thought. Lily sighed. She couldn't help but wonder what was happening to her little boy. His dreams or visions as the headmaster had aptly named them were all very disturbing but at least they had something to do with Voldemort. This was completely different and only a little bit worrying.

At times like this she wondered what would have occurred had she kept Harry. Would he have been like James and Chris or would he have been studious like her? There were some many questions and so many regrets considering her youngest son that at times she desired to forget that she had ever had another son.

Three years after the attack on Halloween they had attempted to have another child despite what the headmaster said. Lily had always desired a little girl but it wasn't meant to be. She couldn't have any more children, Poppy had told her. She'd fallen into depression after that. Not only could she not have a little girl like she had always wanted but she didn't even have both her children with her. She only had Chris.

It had taken a while for her to get out of that stage and when she did she put all her efforts into protecting Chris until they were able to bring Harry back into the picture. Quite a few years had passed since then and she wondered what her youngest son looked like now that he was older.

All she remembered from looking at the photos they had were her emerald eyes staring up at her. Chris had his father's eyes and hair colour. But Harry had been hers except for James' hair yet again. The Potter curse of course would take president over her flaming head of hair.

Lily sighed perhaps bring Harry back into their lives would distract Chris from this search of his? Maybe then Chris would also perform better in class? Perhaps it would better their family entirely?

The doors opening pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Lils? Where is Chris?" James asked strolling into the Hospital Wing fully expecting his son to still be asleep.

"He's eating breakfast in the Great Hall. James I think that we should bring Harry home."

"Lily, where did this come from?" James asked softly.

Lily leaned into James as he sat down beside her on their son's empty bed.

"It's just Chris is wrapped in his dreams that are constantly linked to Voldemort and I'm worried he will get lost in them if he doesn't find something to distract him from them. I also would like to see my little boy again James. I wonder sometimes what he looks like. Is he like us? Does he still have my eyes and your hair? What about his personality? I just want him home James. I want our family back together before this fight takes place."

James grimaced at the reminder of what their son had to go through in order to have peace in their world. Perhaps having Harry here would be an appropriate distraction not only for Chris but for them as well.

"Very well we shall speak with Dumbledore at the next Order meeting and enquire no demand he be brought back to us then."

Lily smiled at James. They would have their family back together. Everything would be perfect and nothing could change that . . . nothing.

* * *

**Had the inspiration so I wrote another chapter. This story creeps me out since it's so unlike my others but I love it the most I think~ Thanks for all the reviews~**

**~MidnightEmber**


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Chapter Four ~**

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and many other titles, stood causing the whispers throughout the dining room to cease instantly. This powerful and wizened wizard looked down upon his Order of the Phoenix, the only defence the Light had against the Dark Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters and smiled pleasantly. These people were loyal, brave and courageous, the perfect people for the wizarding world to look up to as heroes. They weren't the Chosen One but they certainly aided the cause tremendously. These members would back up the Chosen One when the time came to go against Lord Voldemort. They would stop the Death Eaters.

"My friends," Albus began, "What news do you bring us?"

This meeting was purely for business and everyone acted accordingly.

"Since his resurrection last year, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has remained silent." Moody informed them all. "He hasn't done anything major or minor to attract unwarranted attention except perhaps the attack on Azkaban leading to _every_ prisoners escape not just his followers. That left no solid proof to Minister Fudge that You-Know-Who has once again returned. So he continuously bemoans to the public through the Daily Prophet that both you and Chris are absolutely crazy."

Dumbledore sighed. That was the problem. After the Triwizard Tournament the previous year, ending with the kidnapping of Chris Potter and the resurrection of Voldemort there hadn't been any other signs that he had indeed returned. That was the last time many had seen of the Dark Lord except for his close followers.

"What can we do to correct this information?"

"I'm afraid there isn't much we can do Albus. The prophet has taken sides with the Ministry and constantly advise the public that there is no threat and if there were any it would be dealt with in a calmly manner as to not upset the public." Arthur informed them.

With Voldemort lying low and Fudge constantly repeating that there was no threat, the Order couldn't find any new recruits to gather before the war truly began. It was problematic considering many of the creatures weren't even considering taking their side in the matter due to the same Ministry that was calling the Order liars.

"Severus, what news do you bring?"

Severus scowled. He despised being acting like a loyal follower to Dumbledore and his ban of merry pigeons but it was needed for the Dark Lord to once again gain control of the wizarding world. The information that he controlled at any one time could tip the balance for either side depending on who he was truly loyal to. Pity the headmaster wasn't worthy of such loyalty.

"The Dark Lord does not share most of his ideas with his followers least of all me. He has grown quite paranoid since his resurrection using the Potter brat's blood. However there is something within the Department of Mysteries that has caught his attention. This is one of the few things he obsesses over constantly even allowing his followers to know. He desires this item as soon as possible yet is finding it difficult to gain entry to this particular section." Severus said as instructed by his one true master.

The Order immediately began to speculate about what this item would be and what it would mean to the Dark Lord. Of course no one asked Severus what he believed it to be. He was only a spy and as such untrustworthy except for the information he brought to them. If they knew how loyal to the Light he truly was then they wouldn't have even allowed him to keep his job as Potions Master at Hogwarts.

"It must be the prophecy Albus. What else could he possibly desire that much in the Department of Mysteries?" Kingsley said.

"There are many things in the Department of Mysteries that could catch his eye, Kingsley, time turners, forgotten spells, things that never should have been created in the first place however I agree that the prophecy is the most likely target the Dark Lord would go after. He would want to know the entire phrasing." James spoke.

"Very well we shall place guards around the Hall of Prophecy to keep the Dark Lord and his followers from discovering the truth. A roster shall have to be created so everyone knows when they have their duty as well as when people can't make certain times. Arthur I shall leave that in your capable hands." Albus said. "How are our alliances coming along?"

"The werewolves won't even give us the time of day since we are outsiders. If Remus were here he would be able to try and convince them against siding with Voldemort at least however that would be the best option since they would never side with the Light." Moody grunted.

Many of the Order members shifted uncomfortably. Remus had only left because of the strained relationship between Lily, James and him. All of it revolved around one little boy none were too keen on speaking of either since it was a sore subject with all those involved. They wouldn't say it but many thought that Remus had the correct idea when abandoning the Order in the way he did. If it hadn't been for that, they wouldn't be in this tight situation with the werewolves.

"None of the other creatures will make alliances with us either, not even the Light creatures. The wizarding world is simply to prejudice to even consider anything like that. They are worried that as soon as the war is won everything will return to the way it was." Tonks informed them.

"The best we can hope for is they don't side with Voldemort and his Death Eaters." Albus sighed. "Now is there anything else that needs to be discussed before we leave tonight?"

Lily and James glanced at each other before making a decision. Now would be the best time to speak of this so that everyone else also knew what they desired. So they wouldn't cower away from their decision or the topic.

"Albus, we want to bring Harry home." Lily said firmly, stunning everyone into silence.

Harrison Potter was rarely spoken of during meetings. He was the reason Remus had abandon their cause. He was the reason that many members of the Order only spoke to Lily and James during meetings.

The only person the Potters cared for was their gorgeous little saviour and that made everyone instantly dislike them. All members of the Order no matter if they liked James, Lily and Chris had been disgusted when they'd been informed that they'd sent little Harry away. Children were sacred in the wizarding world and to send one away while keeping the other was blasphemy it even disgusted the Death Eaters beyond belief. What shocked them the most was Dumbledore had supported them.

"Yes Albus we think that the dreams Chris is having are causing his behaviour to become erratic. At times he becomes withdrawn from everyone and locks himself in the Room of Requirement without reason. He won't speak to us in great detail about what these new dreams are at all except to mutter about this person called Ariel however we know that they are changing him and this worries us greatly. We hope that his brother whom he shares a natural bond with will be able to distract him and keep him from falling off the right path." James said.

"Do you simply want your son returned to you or are your reasons for his return purely selfish?" Severus sneered.

He knew all about the Chosen One's dreams considering the Potter's complained about them constantly. Often they were simply of Voldemort or Nagini leading them down false trails and plans to distract the Light from finding out his true purpose. However since the brat couldn't understand parseltongue he wasn't of much use something which appeared to frustrate the headmaster greatly. Dumbledore had greatly assumed that the Dark Lord transferred his powers the night of the attack yet that obviously hadn't been one of them.

The most recent of these dreams was of him dying with only this Ariel there to 'save' him from the sand and other dangerous animals present from what they were told. Chris hadn't said much beyond that. Only Severus understood implicitly that Ariel was taunting the saviour and if had the chance would willingly let him die in that situation. This person was no saviour of the Chosen One. This Ariel was a Slytherin and on some terms Chris understood that however not it appeared when it came to the safety of his life. The saviour's ego appeared to be even greater than his father's if he truly believed that a dark wizard would save him from certain death.

However with the return of Harrison, the forgotten son, that was all supposed to change.

It was hopeful that in introducing Harrison back into the family he would be able to appease the Golden Boy and distract him from these troubling dreams of death and foreign lands. Everyone knew that once their saviour ceased having these dreams, Harrison would simply be thrown away yet again until he was needed by his 'family'. It was pathetic.

However this time when the youngest Potter would be pushed away, the Dark would be waiting, willing to accept him with open arms regardless of his allegiance. The Dark Lord had stated that he didn't care about young Harrison's allegiance as long as he despised everyone in the Order enough to desire them punished for their actions against him. His opinion on muggles and mudbloods didn't matter past that. The Dark Lord would accept him regardless. Severus would be waiting to approach him when that time came. He would not fail the Dark Lord in this task.

"Very well if you feel this is the best for you entire family then I shall grant your request." Albus sighed. "I shall have a talk with the people who I entrusted him to and convince them it would be for the best if he returned to his true home for a time. Then you will be able to spend some time with him while he stays at Hogwarts with his brother in the hopes he can help Christopher's obsession with this Ariel."

This appeased Lily and James instantly knowing that what Albus promised would happen. He was the Light Lord after all. Anything he said he would be would get done by his hand. The other members kept carefully blank faces whilst others such as Severus openly sneered in disgust.

On the inside, Severus was grinning in glee. He would be able to speak with young Harrison and show him what his family was truly like. After all Hogwarts was a rather large castle and anyone could easily get lost and anyone could find them. If Harrison was anything like the Order then he would be easy to convince of his sincerity and manipulate accordingly.

Severus couldn't wait to inform the Dark Lord.

x-x-x-x-x

Once again Voldemort found himself in the field. Knowing what to expect, he turned to see the gazebo behind him and a perceptive Ariel waiting patiently inside. He always found it odd that no matter how he arrived in this place he could never sneak up on the stunning raven-haired teen. He prided himself in his stealth yet when it came to Ariel it never worked adding only more mystery to the teen.

"You are inside my mind Tom beneath my Occlumency shields. You will never be able to sneak up on me regardless of how swift and light on your feet you are in the real world." Ariel's voice drifted pleasantly over him.

Without hesitation he joined Ariel in the gazebo as he watched the flowers dance in the breeze. Despite knowing that he was in fact inside Ariel's mind he could never truly grasp the reality when this beautiful scenery was presented to him. Ariel's mind was like another world. He didn't understand the significance of the flowers in the endless fields yet they held special importance to Ariel that he never spoke of regardless of how the Dark Lord asked or demanded him.

"I heard that Dumbledore was attempting to locate the Golden Boy's twin." Ariel mentioned lightly breaking the silence that surrounded them.

"Yes, Severus informed me early this evening that was what the Light planned to do. Harrison Potter, he is a complete unknown to everyone on both sides. His parents gave him away to Dumbledore after that Halloween night to place him somewhere safe and he hasn't been seen since. No one knows whether he has any magic or if he was a squib. No one knows anything about him and yet they are willing to bring him back just to appease his brother, the Chosen One that couldn't even mark me. It's disgusting." Voldemort ranted knowing Ariel would already be aware of this information.

Ariel could sense the anger in Tom's words. Having no one else to release his emotions to Tom often chose to rant to him. It wasn't as if he could tell anyone so Tom guessed that it didn't really matter what he spoke of. Sometimes the Dark Lord could be just a little too paranoid. Then there was also the added bonus of Ariel's feedback.

"Relax Tom, You won't have to worry about another Potter joining the Light. They won't find him where Dumbledore placed him for safe keeping not that the place was very safe to begin with in my opinion. He hasn't been there for a long time nor does he ever plan to return. Harrison would never join the Light not after what they have willingly done to him."

Voldemort looked up sharply. "You know where he is then?"

There was a hopeful glint in his ruby red eyes that had Ariel smiling sadly. There were many things that Ariel knew. If only he could help yet he wasn't allowed to, not from this prison.

"No Tom I can't tell you where he is. Only that he is alone and in no current danger from anyone including the Light forces and others who wish to locate him."

A harsh glint entered that Dark Lord's eyes hinting at the desire to cause him pain. The same look entered his eyes when one of his loyal followers did something that he wasn't pleased with. He was in no way insane yet you couldn't claim that Lord Voldemort was as sane as the ordinary wizard. The glint left as soon as they locked eyes. There were so many questions hidden in the ruby eyes that caused Ariel to smile sincerely.

"I may not be able to speak of certain things that are outside of the Ministry's grasp however anything that resides in the Department of Mysteries is fair game since that is where I am currently kept. If you have any queries about certain objects that may be hidden here or information you desire all you have to do is ask, my dear Dark Lord."

Greed was prominent of the Dark Lord's face. Ariel knew that one of the few weaknesses Tom had was knowledge. As a child, teen and even as an adult he always sought to know more. If this would please Tom then he would be more than willing to speak of anything as long as it remained outside of Pandora's Box but within the Ministry.

Of course being trapped within the Ministry ought to have the occasional worth. The information stored in some parts was fathomless. Even the few Unspeakeables that worked here didn't know everything about where they worked. It would have been impossible for a normal witch or wizard. However Ariel was a different matter entirely. He was a part of the Ministry.

"Keep in mind Tom I shall only grant you one piece of information at a time otherwise you will never desire to search for things yourself."

Growling lightly in warning, the Dark Lord went back to thinking on what knowledge he desired to have from the Ministry. There was so much information yet he was limited in what he could ask for. What should he ask for?

"The prophecy…"

It came out more as a whisper than anything else. Ariel tilted his head in enquiry.

"There is a certain prophecy hidden in the Hall of Prophecies located in the Ministry that I desire to hear word for word about a certain Brat-Who-Lived and I. The prophecy was told by Sybil Trelawney to Albus Dumbledore. Could you perhaps gather that information for me?" Voldemort asked slyly.

Ariel could see that he didn't believe that anything in the Ministry he could access considering the knowledge on prophecies. Only the person of whom the prophecy referred could hold the item meaning only Voldemort or Christopher Potter. Yet he was the exception to this rule since he wouldn't actually be touching the sphere. He would only be drawing the information from it so it could be heard. He smiled.

"Very well then, if that is what you desire to know."

Ariel closed his eyes in concentration. He hadn't actually listened to a prophecy before yet instinctively knew how to draw upon the information. All he had to do was scan the numerous shelves before finding the right one… there!

Tom watched before him as the centre of the gazebo emitted a small light, leaving a globe in the centre. From the small globe of light the images of Sybil Trelawney and Albus Dumbledore were projected out in what appeared to be the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade. It was a curious place for a prophecy to be heard but he didn't care. This was the one thing he desired to know currently. He had to know why he was defeated by a baby of all things.

The voice of Sybil Trelawney began to play. Tom leant forward in anticipation. He'd been waiting to hear the entire prophecy for seventeen years, he wasn't going to waste a second of it.

-x-

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"_

-x-

The Light dwindled and the images along with the light disappeared. Ariel opened his eyes.

"Was that what you were looking for?" he enquired.

Tom was sitting beside him deep in thought. From what Ariel could gather he had received the information that would help him in whatever way it could. He wasn't sure why that information would help him in the end but he would trust in Tom's judgement. Realizing that he wouldn't be speaking to Tom for the remainder of their time together, he gently began to push Tom out of his mind. It would only be a waste for him to remain here like this.

"I shall see you another day Tom, take care."

Voldemort screamed in rage as Ariel pushed him out of the field, the scene fading before him. He hadn't wanted to spend the short time he had with Ariel on learning new information. He'd desired to simply spend it in Ariel's presence something he would never permit with others around. His weakness had lost him one of only a few chances he was granted to spend with his angel.

Growling when he opened his eyes, he found himself in his study with only the smouldering fire for company. His magic pulsed with the ferocity of his emotions. The room gave a tremor at the onslaught. How could he allow himself to be so distracted by this simple sliver of information that he had forgotten the person of whom had retrieved it for him? Well he wouldn't allow that to occur again.

He would allocate a certain amount of time during the evenings to interpreting the information he received from Ariel leaving the remainder of the time in the field to spend in Ariel's presence. Then at least he could also plan for the Death Eaters first raid on the Ministry of magic. They would be so ferocious that the wizarding world wouldn't know what hit them. That would pave the way for him to enter the Department of Mysteries and directly into Pandora's Box.

One way or another, Ariel would be freed from his prison.

x-x-x-x-x

The night was silent. No calm was the more appropriate term. The wind caressed the trees and their leaves creating on a slight rustling that only a magical creature would be able to hear. Animals within the forest remained silent as the group that remained close by slept beneath the starry sky. Yet it all felt incredibly wrong.

Even beneath the moon's waning, Remus felt empty. He had re-joined his former pack and Alpha once his cub was taken from him. He would never forgive any of the Order for taking Harry away from him. Betrayal ran deep within him, first with Peter and then with Lily, James and Sirius. He'd believed that his friends were better than that considering he always believed he was the monster. Turned out he was wrong with that as well. His friends were the monsters; he'd just never realized it before. Surprising how it had taken this long to show him.

After he had discovered Harry was taken away he'd allowed Moony to go on a rampage. He could never bite his ex-friends but that didn't mean he couldn't attempt to tear them limb from limb. Godric's Hollow had practically been reduced to rubble when the other Order members appeared. That was the last night he had spoken to any of the old crowd and it wasn't likely to change.

Remus had travelled around after that not staying in one place for too long. There was no telling if he was now a wanted man for his stunt yet he didn't regret a moment of it. His travels took him many places in the hopes of locating his cub yet none were successful. Eventually he decided that the best place for him to be was with his own kind, werewolves. His sire had only been too happy to welcome him home.

Fenrir had bitten Remus for a reason after all. He was his mate. Sure it had been a stupid idea to bite a child but the werewolf had taken control of his mind condemning Remus to a life of ridicule. However now he was mature enough to understand what had happened, why it had happened.

"Remus, the Dark Lord is calling for us to gather with him. He wants everyone in position for the next move against Dumbledore and his order. As it is, it will take us quite some time to travel to the agreed location." Fenrir grunted as he returned to their camp.

Wrapping his arms around Fenrir to take comfort, Remus sighed. He just couldn't feel any emotion without his cub. He needed Harry to function properly exactly like Fenrir needed him to remain sane.

"Why can't I find him?" he whispered brokenly.

Fenrir grunted in response. Remus' cub was probably hidden very well but that old fool if not even werewolves could pinpoint his location. He could feel the pain his mate felt at the loss of his cub making him feel as if Harrison were their own cub. If he were ever located it would become that way instantly just to please Remus, his mate.

"We will find him even if we have to ask the Dark Lord for aid." Fenrir promised.

Remus nodded in acceptance.

"Now come I have to present you and the pack to the Dark Lord. He says now is the time for the Dark Order to rise."

Matching feral grins adorned their faces. The Light would finally begin to fall.

* * *

**First and foremost a big thank you to DarkNaruto002~ Your review blew my mind~ It was amazing and gave me lots to think on for later chapters, thanks!**

**Thank to everyone else who reviewed. Merry Christmas!**

**~MidnightEmber**


	5. Chapter 5

**~ Chapter Five ~**

It was a risk. Dear Merlin, what he was about to so was a great risk not only to himself but to everything he had planned so far. If something went wrong then everything would come crashing down around him. Ariel knew it was a risk but it was something he needed to do. He _needed_ to see this person. He needed this person so he could succeed.

Normally when Ariel desired to see someone, he would lure that person whilst they slept and bring them into his mind. He had no clue how he was able to do this other than that the Unspeakables had altered him this way. Nor did he particularly care as long as he wasn't alone. This however was vastly different to anything he had attempted previously.

To speak with this person he would need to locate their mind. This task was almost like attempting to find a needle in a haystack. So it was near impossible without the correct instruments to aid him. Unluckily for him, since he was quite seriously nothing more than an apparition he couldn't use these instruments. Sure he'd seen them work but he needed a corporal body for that, something that he currently lacked the use of. Therefore there was only one instrument he could use, his mind.

Focusing, Ariel sent out a scan. This was part of what he did when luring his 'guests' to him however he would have to alter it slightly when he found what he was looking for… if he found it.

The scan picked up on a number of things. Often it would just give him a small description on the mind he brushed up against. Whether it was human or not, whether this mind would break the instant Ariel lured him back into his mind, whether or not this person would be the key to his escape… The more information he wanted the more it would grant him. However what he was asking the scan to locate were people who didn't appear on the scan.

In all reality it should have been the smallest amount of the population. Yet since there were quite a few people alive on Earth he had many to search through in Britain alone.

When it came down to it, Ariel wasn't even positive if the person he desperately needed to speak to was even in Britain. He could have travelled the world or settled down in a remote village somewhere in Africa. Circe, why did he make things all that more difficult for himself? He needed to calm and wait for the scan. He had as much time as he needed to locate this person. There was no need to worry, it wasn't as if he didn't have the time to just float around in this nothingness… and just like that, the scan pulsed.

Ariel was in disbelief. He was in Britain. In all fact, he was currently at Hogwarts where if Ariel wasn't mistaken he was teaching Potions to under-appreciative students. He'd done it, he'd located Severus Snape.

Now the true challenge was entering a mind that was entirely focused on blocking others from entering. An Occlumens was one person that many despised to have around. Not only was it difficult to get them to show any real emotion but it was near impossible to discover their true motives. Ariel however was positive that Severus would aid him.

If Severus wouldn't aid him with the information that was given to him when he questioned Ariel, then Ariel would have to use some of his most inner secrets to gain Severus' trust. That was something Ariel wasn't too happy with. If he couldn't get Severus with the initial information he desired to give then he wouldn't have anything as back up other than perhaps some Potions secrets lost to the ages. Those would be sufficient but nothing that would gain Severus' initial trust. He couldn't afford to screw this up and lose not now… not now that he had comet his far.

With one push, Ariel sunk beneath the shield protecting Severus' mind. Ariel's method of entering the mind was a lot more subtle and less painful than the attack by Legillimens. They pushed their way through barriers causing them to shatter whilst Ariel drifted through the layers. It allowed Ariel more time to gather private information without being detected by the source, something no other could boast.

Upon entering, Severus' mind Ariel was hardly surprised. The entire room looked to be from gothic poetry. As he suspected, it was a potions lab with several test potions already simmering on low fires. The walls were made of dark stone and seemed to drip with pure evil and menace. The only homely place in Severus' mind happened to be the small secluded fireplace by the back wall which was protected by a separating wall. There was a couch and a coffee table holding a few books from the many bookshelves lining the room.

All in all it was a room that Ariel had very much expected to enter.

Before he could move around the Potion Master's mind, ropes jumped from nowhere and dragged him to a worn looking chair and tied him securely to it. This mind had sensed an intruder and had acted accordingly. Ariel was quite pleased at this. It only proved that this man was talented in the mind arts far beyond the Dark Lord or Dumbledore's wildest imagination. (Something Ariel knew neither was aware of.) Yet nothing compared to his altered ability.

Ariel could feel as Severus materialized into his mind from his sleep. Knowing from experience what it felt like to have someone invading his mind scape, he was hardly surprised at the level of hostility that the Potion's Master displayed towards him. In fact he had been counting on it yet hoped Severus wouldn't act upon that hatred.

"If I may I say Severus, I am impressed with your amount of expertise in this area of mind magic. It is truly commendable." Ariel commented.

A sneer was all he got in return.

He knew this wouldn't affect the man in any way. From his mindscape, Ariel could already decipher that this man hide his true emotions quite well at all times unless he was alone in the sanctuary of his home or quarters. This man's secrets and reasoning's was his own and that was exactly what Ariel was searching for. He needed the help of someone who wouldn't divulge his secrets to anyone else whether on purpose or by accident. Severus Snape was just the man for the job.

Not only was he the best Potion's Masters in Europe he was also close to the one person that Ariel felt had a true chance at freeing him from his cage. It was the best combination he could have hoped for. The fact that he was also a spy for the Dark was just the icing on the cake. He would be the best person to turn to. By this alone it was obvious that he was out to save his own skin. Severus was a Slytherin through and through and the best person Ariel could hope for the task he was hoping to bestow.

"How is it possible that a brat such as your self is able to bypass my Occlumency shields when not even the greatest wizards can access my outer thoughts?" Severus questioned.

No name, no age, nothing. Severus continued to do exactly what Ariel had expected from him. He had gone straight into spy mode and began with the difficult questions. After all who needed to know a person's name if said person would only end up dead by the end of the torture session? Of course with Ariel being a mere apparition of the mind it would be rather difficult to kill him.

"I am many things Severus Snape, but a brat is not one of them. Nor am I a servant to the Dark Lord or a henchman to Dumbledore. Does that ease your suspicions at all?"

Severus snarled obviously unimpressed with his words.

"Very well, I can see that you only want straight answers." Ariel sighed. He'd been hoping to save some of this information for later. "I am one of many experiments that the Unspeakables took part in but their only successful human project to date. I was engineered to be stronger of not the body or the magic but of the mind. The Unspeakables altered by brain when I was still a child making me capable of near impossible feats such as this and much more. Is that what you had in mind?"

To say Severus was shocked was an understatement. When he had asked how it was possible for a child near the same age as the Brat-Who-Lived to enter his Occlumency shields, he hadn't quite expected the answer to be so detailed or horrifying.

Everyone knew that the Unspeakables did experiments on everything and anything they could get their hands on. The one thing that annoyed Unspeakables the most was their failure at understanding the Veil in the Death Room. Not that it mattered, the Unspeakables rarely ever created something that was useable by the public. Most of their successful experiments would quite often only be confiscated because of their dark nature. But to experiment on a child was something that no one would condone. He couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors this child would have gone through during his life.

"Are they working on any more human projects similar to you?"

Ariel smiled. Yes it would be quite horrendous for more beings such as him to be created. They would be superior in many ways making it simple to destroy anything they wanted.

"No. I can safely say that I am the only one. Not only were their notes destroyed when they began the process of waking me but the only Unspeakables who had any part in creating me… died."

Severus was certain that the Unspeakables hadn't simply died. The way Ariel spoke led him to believe they were killed and very painfully at that. This only led to the wonder at what Ariel was planning. What side did he support? If he offered his support to anyone at all that is. That was something he desperately needed to know. If this power was to side against him in this war… well he would be a dead man simply because of the sheer power this child exuded.

"What side do you support?" Severus asked, attempting to keep his voice emotionless.

"Due to my current position in the Ministry, I can't choose a side to join. However I have seen what the Light has done and what their future goals and achievements are. They don't impress me at all. Nowhere is it seen that the creatures of this world are to be treated as equals. No, the Light Lord only desires them to remain out of this war to give them an even footing against the Dark. If the Light win once this war is over, they will continue to treat the creatures as little more than beasts that should be put down rather than as equals."

"You didn't mention your thoughts on the Dark." Severus stated.

Ariel smirked. "I have spoken with the Dark Lord, your true master. He is someone that will achieve a great many things. He will make it so every wizard, witch and creature has even footing to live and rule by. There is little I can fault with the Dark Lord's beliefs and thoughts. There are few people like him in the world and I greatly admire him. When I eventually have my freedom it is his side that I will choose to turn to."

Severus nodded thoughtfully. Something was niggling in the back of his mind, something important. What had Ariel recently said to trigger this? Ariel had mentioned that he was in the Ministry, that he was kept in the Ministry. Also he had said he would soon have his freedom leading to the belief that he was being kept there against his will.

That was it… something… someone that was trapped in the Ministry… in a room the Dark Lord wanted so desperately to enter. This was the 'item' that had caught his master's attention, the one trapped in Pandora's Box in the Department of Mysteries. Why hadn't he figured this out before?

Not that it mattered. If he was to aid the one person… item… that had attracted his master's attention then he would be rewarded excellently when he finally had him in his arms.

Making his decision, Severus asked, "What is your name?"

The child before him looked at him with an eerie glint in his eye. It was almost as if the child were judging his intentions.

"You may call me Ariel Ashling."

Ariel was glad. So far he hadn't needed to resort to losing any of his most precious secrets. He'd only needed to speak of the Dark Lord and his views on the war to catch Severus' attention. Sure he'd had to give up the Unspeakables experiments but it was worth it. For Severus to have decided to trust him, he must have linked some of the information given to him with something Tom had said. All in all everything looked to be going according to plan with the best possible outcome.

"Ariel Ashling, what is it you need my aid with?"

Ariel smirked victoriously.

x-x-x-x-x

Albus had often wondered if he was following the correct path. There had been occasions over his lifetime when he had doubted himself and times when he'd known for certain that everything was as it should have been. One thing however always caused him worry, the small issue of the youngest Potter twin, one Harrison James Potter.

That night so many years ago had been in the midst yet the ending of the First War of Voldemort's reign. No one was sure of anything and everyone cast doubts and mistrust against everyone. So it was often difficult to make the correct judgement on the most important of matters. Naming the Boy-Who-Lived had been one of these important matters and yet Albus doubted his decision to this very day.

It wasn't that he believed he had chosen wrong when it came to the Prophecy Child. No, Albus was pleased as Christopher's progress with his Hogwarts studies even if his results were average at best. The child worked hard in the classes that counted and made sure that he was a beacon of hope for everyone that knew him or of him. That was definitely not a concern that Albus harboured over his decisions that night.

What made him doubt himself was the decision to send the younger Potter twin away from his family.

Children were sacred to their way of life. Compared to the muggle world, magical children were rare. To even think of sending a child born into this life away was something terribly frowned upon as he had later discovered. Yet he had still pressed on with his decision believing that he had made the correct choice to protect the child. However when his own Light supporters had begun to frown upon his decision, when Remus had left the Light, he had realized that it was perhaps not the best decision.

James and Lily would have been more than capable of caring for two children even if one of them would grow to be the idle of the Wizarding World. As it was convincing the young parents that sending Harrison away for safety was the best solution at the end of that horrendous night had been relatively easy. After all, at the time their eyes remained solely focused on Christopher, even though Harry had been in Lily's arms he hadn't been truly seen.

Sighing, he couldn't help but wonder how Harrison had turned out whilst remaining with his only blood relatives. Did he look like James or Lily more? Was he more prone to pranks or did he enjoy reading in a quiet corner? Would he be a double of Christopher in looks and personality? Would he be the opposite? Perhaps he would only have the physical features yet act nothing like Lily, James or Chris. After all there were numerous debates over nature vs. nurture and it was the Dursely's who had raised the child. As Lily had often told them, Petunia wasn't the kindest woman when it came to magic.

Regardless of this, he had reassured James and Lily that he would bring Harrison back into their world in an attempt to alleviate their fears for Christopher.

"Fawkes, my friend, take me to Privet Drive, Surrey. We have a Potter to collect."

In a flash, they arrived before the house. It was late in the evening yet Albus knew they would be home. The wards surrounding the house, while not Sacrificial Blood wards, still did an accurate job of telling him when everything was quiet inside the house and any cause for alarm.

Knocking on the door, he waited patiently for someone within the house to answer. If Albus was honest about it, he hoped it would be Harry that opened the door. He needed to witness how the boy had grown up. He needed to know that the child was alright. That he had made the correct decision. Unfortunately for him Petunia opened the door and when she did she gasped as if the devil himself were at her door.

"Good evening Petunia. It is wonderful to see you again however I fear if I remain on this doorstep any longer than necessary we shall attract the attention of your delightful neighbours. You wouldn't want them to comment on your choice of acquaintances, now would you?"

Without uttering a word, Petunia pulled the door open and ushered the old man inside. He was correct. She didn't want him to be here at all. The talk that would occur would be devastating should the wife from number nine here of her unwanted guests.

Upon entering, Albus noticed quite a few things. The first was the clean house. It was absolutely spotless. In a small house such as this Albus had guessed that it wouldn't be truly messy but it was almost a model house, leaving him to wonder if Harry had been taught the same cleanliness. That would be one thing that set apart Harry from Chris. Chris was terrible when it came to cleaning after himself. Living in the wizarding world had only made him rely on the service of house elves.

The second thing he noticed was the photographs lining the walls. They were everywhere. Not that he was complaining about the show of how wonderful and close the Dursely family were, but the distinct lack of Harry Potter anywhere within them cause him great alarm.

"Pet, who is it?" a large man sitting on the couch shouted out to her.

"It… its Dumbledore… he's one of… one of them." She stuttered in obvious fear.

"Bloody freaks won't leave us alone. Get rid of him as soon as possible Pet. We don't want the neighbours speaking." A rather large man on the couch grumbled.

This was obviously Petunia's husband, Vernon. Albus could tell by the blond hair that the rather large teen beside Vernon was their son. He took after his father in many ways or so it seemed as both were sitting before the television with a bag of chips in their hands… though it was obvious they had recently had dinner. The only person missing from this scene was Harry. However if this was how the Dursley's had raised their own son then Albus shuddered to think how Harry had turned out without his parents influence wonderful influence.

It had never occurred to Albus but nothing in this house screamed magic. There weren't any pictures of Lily, James and Chris nor were there any other references. To Albus, it was almost as if magic was a banned topic in this household. Merlin damn them, if Harry was as biased and ignorant as the people who had raised him.

Albus followed Lily's sister into the kitchen and away from the noise of the television. Of course that was when he noticed only three plates at the table. He could only stand there in disbelief. Three plates, three people in photos lining the wall, no one else lived at number 4 Privet Drive, Surrey. No other family was mentioned. The only conclusion was Harry Potter no longer lived here within the blood protection.

"What is that you want?" Petunia demanded.

Obviously, their hatred was deep for the magical community, Albus thought. They had rid themselves of their own nephew and acted very defensive when someone from their world entered their spotless 'clean' home.

"Why isn't Harry Potter present within your home?" Best get this over with quickly than overstay my welcome, he thought.

Petunia sniffed. Her disdain was obvious in her body language.

"The whelp, ha, when we found him on our doorstep the first thing we did was send him to an orphanage and made them believe he wasn't related to us at all. Not hard really considering he looked nothing like us. They took him and we continued with our lives."

Albus was flabbergasted. He had assumed that they at least attempted to keep the child for a time until they realized he was also from their community. This had possibly been the worst mistake he had ever made baring Gellert.

"Why did you send him there when you were specifically ordered to keep him safe within your own home?"

"It was easy enough to destroy the only evidence connecting that whelp to us. That letter you left him was in our fireplace the second we brought him inside. Besides if Lily can look after one child but not another we didn't see the reason we had to do the same. What type of mother willingly gives up their child anyway? If Lily had turned up today I would have closed the door without a second thought. I may not have liked the child but at least he should be in a better place."

Yes, that was one thing that had always bothered Albus. James and Lily had given up their child without a second thought. Sure Albus had suggested it but there had been other options, namely Sirius and Remus. Yet they had chosen to give their child away to the muggle world. This was turning out to be a disaster.

"Do you know where Harry is?" Albus asked gently. He needed to locate this boy.

"No. We didn't bother to keep track of him once he was out of our hands. We were informed a few years later when he might have been four that he was adopted into a good family but we weren't given any specifics. Nor did we bother to ask about them."

"Do you-"

"Look," Petunia snapped, "If you want any more information on the brat then I suggest you go and check out the orphanage we dumped him at, St. Aymard's was the name, if you can't find information from there then you'll just have to attempt to locate him… _your_ _way_."

It was obvious to the ageing wizard that he wasn't going to get any remainding information from Lily's only blood relative. As much as he had hoped this would be easy, he knew everything was apart to spiral out of control.

"Thank you for the information you have given me. However I feel I should warn you, next time I shall not be as lenient if we should cross paths. If anything has happened to Harry you shall pay dearly." Albus warned. Not only that but James and Lily were sure to want retribution in the most embarrassing way possible.

"Oh?" Petunia retorted. "What shall you do to punish those who gave him up then? I do hope it is terribly painful and humiliating."

Albus couldn't say anything to that. He had nothing. He wouldn't be able to punish the Boy-Who-Lived's parents even if they had abandoned one of their children. Chris needed his parents in his life, they couldn't be taken away. Standing, he turned and walked out of the door. On the outside he was calm but on the inside he was falling apart. He knew for sure now that he had taken the wrong path. Everything he had built up was beginning to unravel at the seams.

The greatest wizard alive had chosen a path that had condemned the life of a child. He had no idea where young Harry would be or whether he had grown up in Britain or with excellent parents. Would the child even want to return to his family once located? So many questions and no answers.

Dear Merlin, what would he tell James and Lily…

* * *

**So another chapter down and plenty more to do! Hope you enjoyed seeing more of Severus in this chapter along with Ariel.**

**Thank you for all of the reviews!**

**~MidnightEmber**


	6. Chapter 6

**~ Chapter Six ~**

The Death Eaters couldn't help the shiver that passed through them. It was only habit and fear of torture that kept them from moving from position or enquiring what was wrong. None of the men or women within the room was that suicidal. They may be dark and crave the sound of a tortured scream or the smell of blood from their enemies' fresh corpse but suicide wasn't in their job description. What, many would ask, was the cause of their situation? Well the answer was simple.

The Dark Lord was beginning to get impatient with them.

No one knew exactly what they had done to deserve this, since everything had been moving rather well on the war front. The Ministry wasn't aware of them or what they were planning leaving only the Order of the Phoenix to stumble around and collect followers. (However they weren't really much of a threat at all even with a few select followers.) That also left them plenty of time to gather more followers from different walks of life. This was all so very good for them. Yet it begged the question as to why the Dark Lord was impatient.

None had time to think as the Dark Lord began to speak.

"What news do you bring my faithful of our current numbers?" Voldemort hissed, stroking Nagini's head.

He was beyond annoyed. These idiots were here wasting his time and all he desired to do was sleep. Not so he could catch up on any missed sleep but so he could dream… so Ariel could invade his dreams and whisper things in his ear about who he was or what they could be together. He wanted to learn more about his Ariel. Instead he was here listening to his followers as they reported things of which he already knew.

The Dark Lord's glare intensified causing many to shiver yet again. Lucius stepped forward boldly where many wouldn't to answer his master's question.

"As of yesterday, we have a total of one hundred and fifty-seven loyal Death Eaters. That does not include the five or so traitors and spies that we have fished out and taken care of though some of those traitors are in the dungeons for the younger recruits to use as training props." He informed the Dark Lord.

Remus then stepped forward with Fenrir. Together they had gathered all of the information on the creatures' alliances they had created and most of it was new information for the Dark Lord to go through.

"So far my Lord," Remus started, "We have clans and packs from the Werewolves, Vampires, Giants and Veela that are willing to aid us in the Second War. The numbers and names of all the warriors they will provide us with are in an information packet that should be on your desk for your perusal. There was far too much information for us to bring to this meeting."

"The Elves have declined to work beside us in this war as have the Merpeople. The god news with that is they wish to remain entirely neutral. Their do not care for the wars of wizards or any other creature as long as it doesn't encroach upon their land." Fenrir finished.

The Dark Lord nodded. That had actually been a lot better than he had expected. The Werewolves would have definitely joined them. It was expected given then unfair laws against their kind. The Giants were easy to please. Give them something to destroy and they were all for it. The Vampires and Veela had been a surprise. Usually, like the Merpeople and the Elves, they remained as far from Wizarding Wars as possible. It was obvious that they didn't approve of something the Light was proposing if they had joined him in his quest to keep their world a secret from muggles.

"That is indeed most excellent news. Well done Lucius, Remus, Fenrir, continue to see if others will join. Our numbers must be strong if we are to go against Dumbledore and his Order." Voldemort informed them. "Now, what of everything in the Ministry?"

The Ministry wasn't something he was particularly worried over. He had many people within the Ministry all doing his bidding and working against the few Order members that Dumbledore had managed to secure. No at the current point in time, the Ministry was split into three sections. One of these sections was his followers. They consisted of close to half of the Ministries employees. Dumbledore's Order however only held one quarter of these numbers whilst the other employees were neutral. Yes, the Dark Lord was fairly pleased by this.

There was only one thing he wanted to know about within the Ministry, only one thing that he was concerned about. He desired to know how the plan to locate the Forbidden Room was coming along. He wanted to locate Ariel preferably before the Second War broke out and the Ministry became aware.

"My Lord, it will be difficult to move a large amount of people towards the room." Augustus stated.

The Dark Lord's glare could cut through steel as he hissed at his follower. "Explain."

"Pandora's Box is a room that was never meant to be located often and definitely not on purpose since it was created in the Forbidden Room. To locate the room once you have found it is extremely difficult especially since you are specifically searching for it. Yet it is impossible to find if you are searching for it without a location in mind to begin with. To get there you would need to be swift and not pay attention to anything else around you that may catch your notice. I would suggest, my Lord, that you either have a map of this location or a guide otherwise what you plan will be nearly impossible."

The sound of grinding teeth could be heard throughout the hall. Many of the Death Eaters attempted not to cringe. That would show too much emotion on their faces and notify the Dark Lord to their displeasure. The Dark Lord would then show them his displeasure.

Voldemort could feel his anger rising with his impatience. When he enacted his plan to enter the Ministry he knew that it wouldn't go smoothly. In fact he was almost glad it hadn't been that easy. If it had he would have been severely disappointed in the running of the country. It would also mean that he would have to change more than just the laws handed out by prejudiced people. However that little piece of information didn't really help.

How was he meant to get to Ariel if there were so many obstacles? He knew that going after something in the Department of Mysteries of all places wouldn't be a walk in the park especially the Forbidden Room. But how was he meant to get there if he'd never been before? Augustus couldn't lead him. No, he had to be at work at the time and maintain that he was simply working the entire time to grant him an alibi in cause he needed it. So who was meant to take him?

Perhaps Ariel could give him a map? After all Ariel did often boast that he knew everything in the Department of Mysteries since that was all he had ever known. If he couldn't grant the Dark Lord a way in to the room then it would be rather difficult. His plan could all fall apart with this simple hiccup.

"My Lord…"

Voldemort looked down to see Severus kneeling before him.

"What is it Severus?" He hissed, annoyed at his minions failure.

As usual Severus didn't cringe. He kept everything locked behind his Occlumency shields often making him a cold and bitter man on the outside. Only those that truly knew him could tell what he was feeling. Unfortunately, even though they had spent many years together, the Dark Lord wasn't one of them.

"My Lord, Ariel has tasked me to brew some potions he will need which means I must also go with you when you travel to Pandora's Box."

With a snarl, the Dark Lord whipped out his wand and pointed at Severus.

"Legillimens."

-x-

"_If I may I say Severus, I am impressed with your amount of expertise in this area of mind magic. It is truly commendable." Ariel commented. _

_A sneer was all he got in return. _

"_I am many things Severus Snape, but a brat is not one of them. Nor am I a servant to the Dark Lord or a henchman to Dumbledore… I am one of many experiments that the Unspeakables took part in but their only successful human project to date. I was engineered to be stronger of not the body or the magic but of the mind. The Unspeakables altered by brain when I was still a child making me capable of near impossible feats such as this and much more."_

"_What is your name?"_

"_You may call me Ariel Ashling."_

"_Ariel Ashling, what is it you need my aid with?"_

-x-

Ending the connection, he allowed Severus time to get his breath back. He was never very comforting when he broke into someone else's mind. Voldemort didn't really find a reason to be so caring and considerate. Usually all the people he used this against were people he didn't need or didn't care about. However months of doing this left him without a care really. Ever if he used it against one of his Inner Circle he wasn't gentle, he just didn't care.

What he saw, however, in Severus mind did make him think though. What potions had Ariel tasked Severus with? Sure names were mentioned but he had hardly heard of half of them. As a teen he had been talented in making potions. But he didn't have the same finesse like Severus or the dedication to make them better. He simply brewed them as they were meant to be. So whatever potion Ariel needed would have to be handled by Severus and no other.

"Very well Severus, you shall accompany me to the Forbidden Room as well. Will you have everything he need completed by then?" he questioned.

"Yes my Lord, everything shall be done according to your plan."

The Dark Lord nodded his head in acceptance.

"Very well, what else do you have to report to me?"

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. Ariel had warned him that the Dark Lord may not be too pleased about the additional help. Obviously there was something more to their relationship than Severus had anticipated but that didn't worry him too much. If he could help the young man with Lily's eyes in any way than he would in a heartbeat regardless of what his master would say.

Ariel, the child had Lily's eyes and Severus couldn't help but wonder if he was in any way connected to the missing Harry Potter. If he was it would be such a remarkable coincidence that the child would come to them for help yet ignore his own relatives. Honestly though who could blame him? The child had been given away after all.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he answered his master.

"The Order continues to search for the missing Potter. Dumbledore himself went to take the child from the muggle relatives he was placed with but discovered shortly after arriving that Harry Potter wasn't in residence."

Remus growled. He couldn't believe the nerve of Dumbledore. That old coot! To actually give any magical child to Petunia Dursley was insanity. She was the epitome of normal and anything other than that would have been terribly abused even if they were related. Thankfully it didn't sound as if Harry had been in her care for too long.

"Petunia, Lily's muggle sister, told Dumbledore that she gave the child away to an orphanage but from there it seemed he was lost. She didn't know who had adopted him, didn't care at all if the child was healthy. However she gave Dumbledore the name of the orphanage and the old fool requested that the child be found since his actual parents were alive and desired to meet him. I believe that some magic was involved in that." Severus continued to explain.

Everyone was in disbelief. How could the Light be so careless with a child? Not just any child at that, but the twin of the Boy-Who-Lived, their saviour. None of them could believe it. The Light had to be taken down one way or another. They couldn't live, not after this abomination.

Remus whimpered. How could Harry have been thrown away that easily? How could the Potters just rid themselves of one of their children so easily? Fenrir wrapped an arm around Remus in an attempt to comfort him from his memories.

The Dark Lord surveyed his minions and watch as they all looked appalled at this display of the Light's sentiments. This child could yet be the key to everything he was working towards. Not only would the child despise everyone from the Light who had abandoned him he would be grateful towards the Dark for reuniting him with Remus, the one person to actually care for him. With that he would be safe, happy and protected all thanks to the Dark Lord. With Harry Potter and Ariel Ashling by his side, the Dark could do no wrong.

"Severus, keep reporting to Dumbledore for now. Any news on the youngest Potter shall be brought to me immediately especially if they appear to have located him."

Severus nodded. He wouldn't let that child down.

"Everyone else shall continue with their plans of operation. Should something change, you shall all be notified immediately. You are dismissed."

x-x-x-x-x

Voldemort sighed. The Death Eaters had left a few hours ago and he was still going through paper work. Normally he wouldn't complain since paperwork could give him a larger picture and more information into everything that was occurring. But all of the reports from the new recruits were practically useless. Had they never taken a class on language? Did they not know correct terminology or spelling? Nothing made any sense.

The first thing he was going to announce was all literature lessons for everyone who didn't pass a test! There was no way he was going to sit through every report like this for the rest of his immortal life. No, his minions would be well educated.

Dropping the papers on his desk, he began to rub his temples to alleviate some of his pain.

"Dear Tom… you work far too hard."

Voldemort's head snapped up from his thoughts. Before him, leaning on a chair was Ariel. Blinking, the Dark Lord couldn't fathom what he was seeing before him. This couldn't be possible. There was no way that Ariel could possibly be here with him. He couldn't be because he was trapped deep within the bowls of the Department of Mysteries.

"What… Ariel, what are you doing out of the Ministry? How is it possible that you are here?"

Dear Merlin it was good to see him again. He'd had no dreams of Ariel in weeks and it had slowly begun to drive him into a rage. His minions had been ever so wary of his impending rage that they had only remained at his manor for as long as need be before they left again. But now he was here! Ariel was before him and everything just seemed to calm for him.

Ariel laughed and the sound simply flowed around him.

"Tom, I'm afraid to inform you that I'm still at the Ministry. It is you that have fallen asleep at your desk and therefore have set the scene for our meeting. Instead of meeting in my mind, I decided I would travel to yours and this is what I see." Ariel spoke.

Voldemort concentrated for a second before realizing what Ariel said was true. He was indeed asleep. The room, while resembling his study, wasn't what the room precisely looked like. The sheets of paper on his desk weren't in order nor were there any books on his shelves that were meant to be there. No, instead he had titles such as "One Hundred Ways to Seduce the Enemy" and "Twelve Quick Steps to the Dark". They were simple books that no one had ever heard of… but the topics that were actually on his mind.

As he became more aware of what was happening the room began to change. The desk was transfigured into a bed with the appropriate hangings to match the curtains that decorated the large bay windows. The books and papers disappeared to reappear as candles in an attempt to set the mood. The entire room was coloured in green, silver or a dark wood. It was almost an exact replica of the room he wished to take Ariel in. Truly this was what his mind thought of when Ariel was involved.

It was terribly normal and disconcerting to feel emotions especially one as lust. Emotions weren't his forte so he didn't know where exactly he was going with it yet his mind appeared to have an idea. At least that was what he hoped. If it didn't then what was he supposed to do in this situation? Just act on his body's needs… his wants and desires? The Dark Lord didn't have a clue.

Ariel walked around the room admiring the changes as Voldemort got his bearings. The room was nice enough though he knew exactly what Tom planned to do in such a place. Of all the people Ariel had drawn to him, Tom was the first to focus on other things as well as him. The others had lost all focus on their lives, some so bad that they forgot to eat… to sleep. Luckily Tom wasn't like that.

Smirking Ariel arranged himself comfortably on the bed in a seductive position. Sure enough, when the Dark Lord took one look at him, he leered. As Tom begun to stalk towards his prey, Ariel shook his finger in reprimand making the Dark Lord stop in confusion.

"Tom I refuse to toy with you in such a way. If we… play here the only thing you will wake up to is an uncomfortable patch in your pants. I refuse to be only a wet dream." Ariel said. "Besides I'm having fun toying with another person in such a way though he will never have me entirely like you do."

The Dark Lord snorted. Of course Ariel had others to play with. Anyone he contacted would be drawn to the mystery that Ariel was and what he represented. Ariel didn't need him to have fun yet for him Ariel was the only one he would consider ever sleeping with. To him there was no one else that would ever compare.

Ariel gritted his teeth as he realized where the Dark Lord's thoughts were going. Standing, he moved towards the Dark Lord and held his arm in an attempt to jerk him out of his thoughts.

"You misunderstand me, Tom. I do not mean I enjoy playing with others but not you. I simply don't wish to have our first time within a dream. We shall sleep with each other but I hardly think now is the appropriate time."

Voldemort turned and wrapped his arms around Ariel, his angel.

"Where are you… it is getting so difficult to locate you."

Ariel smiled softly, "If the Unspeakables did make it easy for people to find me then someone else would have located me long before you would have ever heard of me, dear Dark Lord. It was meant to be difficult to locate me. This way only the worthy shall ever locate me and wake me."

"I know where you are! But the Department of Mysteries is hard to navigate with knowledge of its location. I am attempting to locate a place that few have entered and none have returned from. Pandora's Box in the Forbidden Room was long thought to be a myth and few know about it even those that work within its halls. How am I meant to find you? Could you show me?" The Dark Lord enquired now getting desperate to have Ariel by his side.

He needed to find a simple way to gain access to the Forbidden Room and from there Pandora's Box. If he could get there then freeing Ariel would not be a problem. That wasn't what he was concerned about.

"Unfortunately I can't show you the way from here. You would have to be inside the Ministry and that might take a long while." Ariel answered.

Voldemort slouched against Ariel in defeat. How was he meant to get to his Ariel if he couldn't even find his way there?

"However there might be a way to get around that…"

The Dark Lord's eyes blazed as Ariel spoke. If there was anyway of getting a map… of knowing the location before the planned date of attack then he would do anything to get it.

"How, Ariel, tell me how to do it?"

Ariel smirked and whispered one word in his ear before disappearing from his mind as he woke.

"Nagini…"

* * *

**Yay another chapter. I actually finished the plot notes for the entire story last week so I will be able to tell you that this story will have 21 chapters. I hope you all enjoy it while it lasts!**

**~MidnightEmber **


	7. Chapter 7

**~ Chapter Seven ~**

Breakfast that morning was less tense than the previous night, thankfully. The Inner Circle didn't have to fear for their sanity as they did meek gestures like passing the bacon around the table. They didn't have to remain as quiet as possible to avoid a pointed glare in their direction when they became too loud for their master's tolerance. The Death Eaters could breathe normally. Why?

The Dark Lord was in a good mood.

Many assumed that like some of the more insane Death Eaters, he went down to the dungeons and worked his frustration out through the Cruciatus Curse. Bellatrix was particularly fond of that rumour. Others, like Lucius, assumed that he worked out his frustration with either sex or a duel. Only Severus could pinpoint anything close to the truth.

Severus could only assume that Ariel had finally contacted their Lord last night and by the tones that he was using whilst speaking to Nagini, Ariel had given him something to work on to keep his mind off things. The Dark Lord looked, dare he say it, at peace while speaking to the cobra. Many were glad for this but none so much as Severus.

With the Dark Lord off his back, Severus wouldn't feel pressured to get the potions needed for Ariel done swiftly. He could take his time and make sure they were as accurate as possible. However this also gave him more time to think on the one person that kept invading his thoughts. Harrison Potter: the younger twin of the Chosen One.

With everything that had occurred recently, the search for the younger Potter had nearly been forgotten. Yet his earlier encounter with Ariel had rekindled the need to locate the boy.

He knew that the Order had all but forgotten Harry. They apparently reached a dead end in their research and without further facts couldn't push further. Of course they conveniently forgot that the orphanage was attempting to gather their own resources to give them. Everything they needed wasn't falling into their lap so they wouldn't go further especially when "he was safe where he was" according to Dumbledore. So they ignored the issue and concentrated their attempt to keep the Dark Lord away from the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries and also to get Chris trained.

Chris also didn't appear as thrilled at the thought of his little brother appearing when he was concentrated on Ariel. No everyone was pushing thoughts of Harry Potter away in order to keep Ariel Ashling in the forefront of their minds. What was it about Ariel Ashling that had everyone on edge? What was it that drew people to him? Everyone wanted to know Ariel, everyone except Severus.

Severus wanted to track down the missing Potter. He wanted to have a piece of Lily in his life even if it meant the child was half Potter. The only link he had however was the orphanage that he disappeared from which currently wasn't much use. However there was one link that no one had used yet.

"Lupin…"

How Remus Lupin had gained a position so quickly within the Dark Lord's upper ranks, Severus could never understand. However having Fenrir back you and the knowledge you knew about the Potter's or Order in general had to be a huge help.

The wolf looked up and Severus had to with-hold a sneer. He despised werewolves with a passion especially after the little trick Potter and Black played on him during their Hogwarts years. Severus could never accept Lupin in his life after that regardless of how apologetic he was. To him, he would forever remain the monster than had attempted to attack him. Yet he would put up wih the wolf if it meant he would be able to gain some perspective on Harry Potter.

"What is it Severus?" Remus always was polite to him. Perhaps it had something to do with repenting or guilt… something along those lines that Severus usually ignored.

"How well did you know Harry Potter?"

Silence seemed to enfold around the table over that simple question. Even the Dark Lord's hissing ceased to pay attention to his query. Was it so shocking that he was asking the werewolf a question? Perhaps, however it was more about the subject of his enquiry. Everyone knew that Severus Snape despised the Potter's.

Remus answered cautiously. "I may have known him even better than his own parents."

Known him better than his own parents? How was that even possible, Severus thought, shocked at that information. A parent was supposed to know everything about their child. Well perhaps that wasn't as accurate as he would like to believe. His own father hadn't known anything about him. He hadn't really cared either.

"Why is that Lupin?" Severus asked attempting to keep the spite out of his voice. He needed to know more.

Remus placed his cutlery on the table and turned to face Severus completely. He obviously had a thought pattern to these questions, a reason to be asking them, so he would do his best to answer them.

"I spent more time around Harry and Chris than anyone in that family. Whenever James and Lily decided to go out to dinner or just needed time away from the house, they would floo me. Sirius would have been the more obvious choice yet as everyone knows he isn't one to have any common sense especially when it comes to children. Lily chose me because she knew I would be able to keep a close eye on things because of my extra senses. I certainly spent more time around them then their parents at that age what with Lily and James enjoying the high life. I would have done anything for that family." Remus admitted.

"Yet obviously that changed." The Dark Lord finally spoke.

Many agreed with that since he was sitting with them and not with Dumbledore and his Order. It was an obvious proof of loyalty.

"That only occurred after the attack. Before that my entire world was pretty much Harry and Chris. I didn't have a job or a family of my own so my cubs were the most important thing to me. I watched as they grew up and changed into too different people. It was like watching James and Lily grow up side by side."

Severus flinched at that. He didn't want to be reminded of Lily or James. The only reason he had brought up this topic was to find out more on Harry. Yet he allowed Remus to continued reminiscing about his time with the twins. If anything those words would be more important than anything other information given.

"Chris… he was exactly like James except he had his mother's hair while Harry was exactly like James except with his mother's eyes. That was the only way you'd be able to tell them apart if they stood side by side. However they acted like too completely different people. Chris was loud and a constant nuisance even as a toddler. Harry though, Harry was quiet, unusually so for his age."

"Harry was so intelligent that it astounded me at first. His first word wasn't mummy or daddy but Mooney. It only became more pronounced as they got older as well. He always cleaned every mess he made and it never took him long to do it. When he sensed tension he remained quiet even when asked a question. Even his bouts of accidental magic was kept low key almost as if he were holding back to give Chris a chance to impress everyone as well."

"He sounded like an astounding child." Lucius commented.

Children of Death Eaters were given an early introduction into magic to prepare them for their future so for Lucius to comment on Harry's ability was in itself a feat alone. A pureblood would normally never say that a half-blood would be better than a child of his own background. It was like admitting that inbreeding had destroyed their magic. It hadn't and never would. The only thing inbreeding caused was lack of sanity.

"Harry definitely was an astounding child." Remus agreed. "Then the Dark Lord attacked and something within him changed. I only caught a glimpse of him afterwards but he was more sullen and quiet even as his brother screamed his lungs out. He looked like he knew what they were about to do and it absolutely broke my heart. I wanted to say that I would keep him safe but they ushered me out so they could have a private meeting with Dumbledore. I never saw Harry again."

Everyone could see that losing his cub was hard on Remus. He hadn't had a deep connection to anything before that and now it was gone. He had his mate now but it wasn't truly enough to satisfy the bond that he had with Harry. If anything it only made it worse since he had someone else to take care of Harry when he was away.

"Did you ever know what Dumbledore planned to do with the pair of them before the attack?" the Dark Lord questioned, when he realized Severus was lost in thought.

Voldemort had always been curious as to how the mind of Albus Dumbledore worked. The more he heard and discovered about the Light Lord's plans the more he was able to predict what he might do in the future. It wasn't something that worked well currently because he had so little information but it was progressing with Severus' aid.

There was a pause as Remus thought back.

"Chris was always foretold to be the Chosen One since he didn't believe you would go after the Longbottom child." He began.

"Why is that? Couldn't it have been Harry as well?" Lucius interrupted.

It made sense to think that way, after all they were twins. If Chris could have been one of the candidates then it was entirely possible that Harry could have been one just as easily.

"No," Remus denied. "Harry would never have been the Chosen One since he was born August first. Chris was born late July thirty-first making him a candidate. It was dreadful attempting to celebrate their birthday's so they simply celebrated on the thirty-first since Chris was the eldest. No one asked, so no one knows that they were born on separate days not even Chris."

The group was flabbergasted over that. No one had in fact known that Harry and Chris Potter had been born on different days. It wasn't something that happened often but when it did it usually meant something huge. Twins born in such a way in the magical world were very gifted. Why hadn't Lily and James realized this?

To Severus this simple fact changed many things. Everyone in the Order of the Phoenix had begun their search using the child's name and birthday as the 31st of July. Dumbledore however would have given the child's true birthday in an attempt to further the child from the Chosen One. Everyone was searching using incorrect information. Severus scowled.

"Dumbledore originally planned to train them both because they were twins and they would work well together. Chris was to be trained so he could kill you while Harry was to be trained to protect Chris and get him as close to the Dark Lord as possible without any injury. I know for a fact that James and Lily weren't told of this plan in case they, like Molly Wealsey, didn't want their children growing up in that way. It was to be introduced when their lives were threatened and it would appear to be a necessary move." Remus explained.

In theory it would have worked well but it didn't settle well with the Death Eaters. Children weren't meant to be soldiers at such a young age. Sure you could teach them how to protect themselves but teaching children tactics for warfare wasn't something they would do until they had reached majority. Dumbledore was making rash decision with things he should have spent time thinking about.

Originally he had planned to train the Potter twins and then the next he was splitting them up. It was definitely an odd occurrence. This didn't sit well with their knowledge of Dumbledore. It was all out of place.

"Something must have changed between then and the attack to make Dumbledore alter his plan. He would have preferred to have everyone possible aiding his Chosen One to make sure that he had a fair chance at getting to the Dark Lord." Lucius assumed.

"Many of the Order also assumed the same thing however Dumbledore never spoke of it even when we demanded answers." Remus agreed.

Many had questioned why Albus had taken Harry away from his family. Yet none had received an answer. Some had even been so bold as to approach James and Lily on the subject but they didn't speak either.

"Why do you believe he desired not to speak of it?" the Dark Lord enquired.

This was something that could very well explain the motives behind Dumbledore's moves. If he could have this explained to him then everything would become easier.

"He would have been afraid." Severus said suddenly.

Everyone turned to stare at him. Obviously the thought of Dumbledore being afraid wasn't something they could comprehend. Severus however had been silent and absorbed much of the silent information. He knew Dumbledore enough to realize that something huge must have happened to shake Dumbledore's faith in his plan. Fear was a high motivator.

"Explain further Severus." the Dark Lord demanded.

"Dumbledore acts rash when considering only two things: those that he is afraid of and his hidden past. Since I highly doubt his past has anything to do with the Potter brat and Harry then logically it must be something he is afraid of."

It made sense that Dumbledore would abandon something he was fearful of. The only question was at this time… what exactly was it about Harrison Potter that scares the great Albus Dumbledore?

"Dark Forbidden Magic…" Bellatrix cackled madly.

Of course no one actually replied to her but they did realize she had a point. Albus Dumbledore would always be afraid of magic he couldn't use or comprehend. According to the Light wizard, Dark Magic should be banned all together. It didn't matter if some of the curses could be used to save lives. If they were classified as Dark Magic then no one should be allowed to practice it.

Dumbledore rejected all things of dark nature.

"Say Dumbledore is afraid of Dark Magic, what was it about Harry that caused him to believe the child had dark magic?" Severus asked. "After all, at the time of the attack, the child couldn't have been more than five years old. How is a child that young meant to practice some of the darker curses or more importantly where did he locate them in a Light Family?"

Remus shook his head.

"Harry would never have found anything relatively dark in their family home. Dumbledore cleared everything of that influence to make sure that Chris wouldn't be tempted by any of it. Even the library was cleared of anything remotely dark. Chris and Harry weren't even allowed to talk about it since James and Lily made it a forbidden subject. If he did learn anything even at that age then it wasn't likely from anyone James and Lily knew."

That left them pretty much back to square one. However at least they knew that Dumbledore separated the twins because of his irrational fear of the dark.

"Whatever happened to Harry must have occurred during the attack if there weren't any other factors." Rabastan assumed.

And that was the problem.

The Dark Lord wouldn't be able to tell them since he had been banished that night. Chris and Harry would have been too young to remember and Dumbledore wouldn't speak a word on the subject. There was no way to discover what happened that night unless…

The Dark Lord stood immediately and left the hall without a word startling his Death Eaters. Usually he would dismiss them even if something major had occurred. He had never simply left the room. Eventually the Death Eaters decided to remain should their master return.

"Remus, if you didn't leave because they took Harry Potter away, why did you leave the Light?" someone asked.

Remus eyes' flashed hazel causing everyone to sit further back in their chairs.

"I left because when I eventually confronted Lily and James like everyone else had they didn't care. They didn't care that one of their children had been sent away their entire focus was on Chris, their little Saviour. Harry is their son as well and they couldn't care that he was taken from them or that he might have been suffering. Chris was their world and nothing could change that." Remus spat.

Eventually everyone returned to their meals as if nothing had occurred. After all their master would be back soon, hopefully with some answers.

x-x-x-x-x

Ariel felt his world shift and instantly knew the Dark Lord had sought his attentions. He hadn't a clue as to why since they had spoken the previous night and created a way for Voldemort to have his guide through the Department of Mysteries. This altered is plans slightly and annoyed him greatly. If he had to keep factoring random visitations from Voldemort into his plan everything would fall apart. He would need to keep an eye on what the Dark Lord was attempting by doing this.

"What is it that you seek from me, dear Tom?" Ariel questioned as the Dark Lord stepped into his gazebo.

Ariel could feel the determination practically rolling of Voldemort in waves. Whatever he wanted, he desired the knowledge greatly and obviously couldn't gain it from his own sources. Ariel was simply a last resort until he was out of the Box.

"What I seek is knowledge on Harrison Potter."

A growl threatened to make its way to the surface as Ariel's composure slipped slightly.

"We spoke about this previously, Tom. I will not give away his location to you. Harry Potter is perfectly fine where he is. He doesn't need to be dragged into this war. Leave him be."

Ariel watched as the Dark Lord's expression darkened. It appeared as if he had forgotten that little part of their previous discussions yet still desired to locate the youngest Potter.

"It is not I who is desperately searching forth Chosen One's brother." Voldemort spat.

He'd had enough of Ariel keeping things from him that he could be using to aid his Death Eaters. Ariel had so much knowledge because of where he was kept. The Dark Lord didn't understand why they could utilize it to help their war effort. It was the least Ariel could do after everything they were doing to get him out of Pandora's Box.

"Then why do you desire knowledge on Harry Potter?"

Silence stretched through the fields. Neither Ariel nor Tom made any move to continue speaking. This was the first time they had argued and it wasn't something that either enjoyed. Both preferred to be calm, relaxed and enjoy the peace that they provided one another. No one else could relax their souls like the other. No one would ever come close.

Eventually Tom spoke.

"A few of my followers have taken it upon themselves to continue the search for Harry Potter. They already know that he isn't at the orphanage that Dumbledore placed him in. What they wanted to know is where he is so they can have peace of mind. I however would like to know what frightened Dumbledore so much about the youngest Potter to cause him to abandon the boy in a place like that."

Ariel knew immediately that he was speaking the truth. Only Ariel was capable of lying in his own mind. Anyone else had no chance. Yet even the truth would gain no favours when it came to Harry Potter.

"Tom, as I said before, I shan't reveal Harry Potter's location even to alleviate your followers. However I will confirm that he hasn't been at the orphanage for many years. The longest time he spent in that place was a year and a half before he was taken away by people who live in our world." Ariel began.

Even though this information wasn't very helpful it would have to do since Ariel would not speak any further about the location of Harry Potter. If they wanted to find him then they would have to do the leg work themselves.

"Very well, I will inform them of this," Tom said. "Can you at least tell me what drove Dumbledore to remove Harry Potter from his family?"

Ariel sighed at this. If he spoke this information then he knew when the Dark Lord finally figured out what it meant he would be after Harry Potter nearly as much as the remainder of his Death Eaters. He wasn't positive if that was a good thing or not but he would need to keep Voldermort busy and away from his mind if his plans were going to work smoothly.

"Dumbledore is terrified of Harry Potter." Ariel admitted. "It all began the night you attack Godric's Hollow. Peter was watching the children and let you in. But something occurred that night with your plan. You had everything prepared for what needed to be done after they were dead but the instant that Killing Curse reflected onto you it changed. You died, they survived and yet the plan you put some much effort into still worked. Dumbledore took one look at Chris and named him saviour. He took one look at Harry Potter and called him an abomination. Lies were told to the Potter's and young Harry was shipped away from them until it was positive that the Dark residing within him was safe for the young saviour. No one ever bothered to check though so he was abandoned."

Ariel sat heavily in the gazebo, waiting for Tom to speak, to ask questions. Yet it never came. Looking up, he realized that Tom appeared to be confused. That night which was so clear to Harry Potter was faded to the Dark Lord and the Chosen one. Exact details were lost to them.

"I don't understand. What was my plan for the Potter children if not for them to die?" Voldemort questioned.

He didn't remember that night very well. He blamed it on his lost sanity. However, now was not the time to play the blame game. He needed to remember what it was he planned to do that night. What was it about that night that had altered everything so suddenly for the three of them?

"That my dear Dark Lord, I can not tell you. It is something that you must discover for yourself and hopefully before Dumbledore figures out what you have done. Now it is time for you to leave and send Nagini my way. Go speak to your followers while I play host to your beloved snake."

Tom cursed as Ariel faded. He had received more answers and even more questions. That was the way that Ariel often worked. He had always assumed that it was because Ariel was trapped where he was yet knew evidence said otherwise. Ariel spoke in riddles because he had many secrets to keep that he desired not to speak.

He growled as he rose. First he needed to send Nagini on her way then he would speak to his followers about this news. After all if he didn't know of his past plans then perhaps one of his followers knew.

* * *

**Alrighty, can anyone guess what Ariel meant? What happened the night Voldemort attacked Godric's Hollow? Thank you all for the reviews. **

**~MidnightEmber**


	8. Chapter 8

*** WARNING: Incest in this chapter. You have been warned. Don't like, don't read. If it does disturb you that much and you enjoy the story I'll PM the chapter (minus incest) to those that dislike it. I'm feeling generous. Now on with the chapter... **

**~ Chapter Eight ~**

Walls surrounded him. He wasn't positive but he thought that it might have been a hallway. It was too dark to tell otherwise. Sure there were torches hanging along the walls yet they were dimmed as if to interfere with the sight of those wandering around. The brick was course as well, perfect to damage the face of someone pushed into it.

The entire hallway screamed ominous and was definitely deadly to those who didn't know where to go. It wasn't a place he would usually dream of either which only led him to a memory of a similar dream. Desert had surrounded him and he'd nearly died… Chris knew immediately when this wasn't an ordinary dream.

"Ariel!" he called out.

He hoped that by calling his name that Ariel would appear to him. Chris had begun to realize that dreams like this only occurred when Ariel was nearby. So he waited patiently every time he dreamt in the hopes that his dream would be something unusual or exotic. This hardly ever occurred which upset Chris greatly. He wanted so much to be able to see Ariel again… to finally be able to touch him.

Waiting patiently, he knew that Ariel wouldn't appear on the first call. It wasn't very reasonable to expect that. Ariel could be doing anything in this dream. He could be somewhere else entirely. Chris wasn't positive with how this worked exactly but he knew there would always be a time where he would have to wait for Ariel to turn up. One call simply wouldn't be enough so he called out again.

Minutes passed, yet Ariel didn't appear.

Sighing, he kicked a stone and watched as it bounced off the walls. He truly had been expecting Ariel to show up after a few calls. Perhaps he was being over ambitious when it came to Ariel. The other teen couldn't be everywhere at once. If it took time for him to arrive then Chris would simply have to be patient and wait to see him. It was a small price he would have to pay to see the stunning teen again.

Without anything to do to pass the time, Chris decided to follow the passage in the direction he'd kicked the stone, if by chance it led him to Ariel even faster than it was all the better.

However as he walked down the length of the hall it only appeared to go on forever. He wasn't even sure if he had moved anywhere since everything looked the same. The brick walls continued with evenly spaced torches at every two metre intervals. If anything this was even worse than waiting in the same place for Ariel.

Stubbing his toe on a piece of brick he cursed leaning against the wall for support. Honestly it hadn't been the best idea either considering small cuts appeared along his arm. This place wasn't a hallway, it was a death trap. Chris growled.

As he was muttering to himself he failed to notice the giant snake passing him until it hissed warningly at him.

Blinking, he stood up straight. This was his dream with Ariel… what was a snake doing in it?

Thinking back, he remembered his first dream in the desert. When he was sinking within the sand he had been surrounded by snakes first with other creatures then following. This all occurred shortly before he caught his first ever glimpse of Ariel. Maybe… just maybe… this snake was leading him to Ariel!

Ignoring the pain in his foot and arm, he began to follow the large snake. He was bleeding as well but he could ignore that for a while. Ariel was waiting for him and this snake would lead him to his Adonis.

The snake was much bigger than anything he had stumbled across before including the ones kept in glass containers at the zoo. This snake appeared to be magical as well since it was sliding effortlessly across the course floor. It was perfectly fine with the brickwork beneath it when even his own feet were beginning to get sore within his shoes.

This only confirmed what he believed. The snake was truly going to lead him to Ariel.

He almost shouted in joy though the snake looked highly irritated. It was almost as if the snake would rather attack him than allow him to follow. He doubted it though. The snake was simply doing as it was told. He wouldn't be bothered by it at all.

Chris continued to follow the snake until the torches began to reveal more light into the hallway. This turn of events was both good and bad for him. He could see now that the snake before him was Nagini, Voldemort's snake. Nagini was also leading him towards the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic, a place not many travelled to even during the day.

With this he couldn't help but wonder why Ariel would send such a snake to show him the way. That entire thought slipped away as the hallway revealed a figure walking before them.

"Why dear Merlin is Ron's father here?" Chris asked aloud.

He was really frustrated now. The stupid snake was meant to lead him to Ariel not Arthur Weasley. Why would Ron's father be in his dream anyway? Nothing made sense in this dream anymore. Ariel wasn't here. He was being led by a snake and Arthur Weasley was walking along some random corridor in the Department of Mysteries! He'd had enough.

"You stupid reptile! I thought you were meant to lead me to where I wanted to go. I wanted to see Ariel not Weasley. Take me to see Ariel Ashling now!"

Laughter bounced around the hallway, startling him from his rant.

"You should be quiet in these halls, little lion, anyone or anything could hear you call and then where would that leave you?"

Chris spun around with wide eyes. He'd hoped but he'd never thought in a million years that the snake would actually lead him to Ariel especially after the latest fiasco. Or perhaps it had been his calling that attracted Ariel? Whatever it was he couldn't have been more relieved in his life.

Without a second thought, Chris ran towards Ariel at full speed ignoring the hissing from the snake behind him.

Ariel was before him. He was wearing stylish dark green robes with silver trim that remarkably looked like snakes. His hair was pulled back with a hair tie making his eyes gleam. One could almost see the light flicker in his eyes. He was a stunning sight to behold and one that Chris had been waiting to see for what seemed like the longest time imaginable.

Upon reaching Ariel, Chris wrapped him in his arms. Finally he could hold his beloved Ariel and it was everything he had imagined. Ariel was perfectly proportioned. Even his height, which was slightly shorter than his own, was perfect.

Chris crashed his lips to Ariel's and relished in the taste as their mouths moved together. He had to admit that he wasn't very skilled at this but right now he couldn't care. Kissing Ariel was exactly as he had imagined. The soft lips Ariel possessed seemed to melt against his in lust. He knew this was meant to be. Ariel was his.

As he slowly pulled away for air, he noticed that Ariel was breathing just as heavily as he was and it immediately turned him on. Ariel was flushed pink and practically melded against his body making Chris' erection even more noticeable. Merlin, what he wouldn't give for a bed to appear in this dream.

"That was quite a greeting, little lion." Ariel spoke.

He certainly hadn't been expecting quite that reaction but who was he to ignore something like that? These dreams were the only time when he had any contact with other people. If it was all sexual he couldn't help it. The dreamers chose what to do with their own dreams. Just because he had sworn not to put Tom through this out of respect didn't mean little Chris wouldn't be the same. If anything it was more fun to play with the little lion in such a way.

Chris beamed. Ariel had enjoyed the kiss! That was bound to be positive. He actually had a chance with this Adonis!

"I'm so happy that I located you, Ariel. I searched everywhere for so long. Every time I slept, I hoped that you would come to me but it didn't happen and I only grew more focused. I searched the library looking for even a mention of your name yet there was no mention of you! I was so frustrated. I'm positive that I've been ignoring my family and friends the past few weeks whilst on my search. You're just so important to me!" Chris said.

Ariel smirked. Poor, poor child… he didn't even realize what was happening to him. Soon it would be too late to turn back and he would no longer be able to resist. It was a pity because Ariel enjoyed playing his little mind games with the lion. Perhaps once he was out he could turn things up a notch. Until then he would have to be subtle. If he broke his lion then his enjoyment would be ruined.

"I did not realize I had such a profound effect on you little lion. If I had known perhaps we could have spent more time around each other." Ariel whispered seductively grinding slightly against Chris.

Hearing, Chris moan was simply too perfect for Ariel. He hadn't believed it would be so easy to get into the head of the little Gryffindor. It was almost undeniably easy to muddle with him in such an erotic way. He was practically a pile of goo at the moment and Ariel hadn't even really done anything to the sod.

"_You shouldn't be doing that child…"_ hissed Nagini.

Ariel ignored her however. The last person he had been with only sought after him for power. The time before that had been someone searching for knowledge. He hadn't been with someone for quite a long time and since he had promised not to mess with the Dark Lord he would enjoy this.

As Ariel moved his hips against Chris again, an answering growl was heard. Before he knew it, Chris had roughly pushed him against the course brick wall and had begun to attack his neck with his mouth. The wall behind him was painful but he ignored it and focused on the feeling of Chris' body against his own.

It was definitely well formed, probably from Quidditch. Chris' was a Chaser on the team if Ariel recalled the information correctly. His muscles were firm and easily pinned Ariel to the wall with no problem. It took him a moment to realize that his writs were pinned above his head with one arm while the other was up beneath his shirt, roaming around.

Ariel's breath was coming out in pants by this stage yet again. Merlin, how he had missed this, the feel of another body was something that he craved often in his isolation. Of course everything for Chris would just be a dream and he would wake to an embarrassing situation but for Ariel it would always be different.

Chris moved against his hips this time eliciting a breathy moan from him. Damn… that felt good. Ariel allowed his head to fall against the rough brick behind him, exhaling. If only he could conjure a bed here. However they were in the Ministry of Magic and he was sure a stunt like that would warrant questions.

As much as he was enjoying this there was only one problem. Chris was restraining him. He didn't enjoy being tied down. Most of his life had been spent in the same way. So when it came to enjoying himself that was one thing that he never wanted.

Wiggling a bit, he managed to make Chris release his arms so he could use them both to explore his body. Ariel turned his attention towards Chris' neck showing the same attention to it Chris gave him earlier. He really wanted that bed right now…

A pained cry distracted their lust filled attacks on each other. Ariel jerked his head up while Chris turned his head towards the sound neither separated from each other, both still panting with need.

Nagini had attacked Arthur Weasley and by the looks of it was rearing back to strike a few more times. Ariel and Chris didn't move from their embrace, too shocked to actually do something. With that snake the poor man wouldn't even last an hour and since no one was down there it was unlikely that he would live to see the next day.

Chris didn't care about this situation. He had Ariel in his arms and that was all that truly mattered within this dream. Besides he would wake up tomorrow and Mr Weasley would be alright. Nothing could harm you in a dream.

"Are you not going to warn someone about the attack on your father's friend?" Ariel questioned him.

The slight tilt of the head made Chris' heart pound even more. He'd never imagined that Ariel could be both harsh and seductive but cute and innocent as well. The combination was really too much for him. All he wanted to do was return to making out with Ariel, so he answered.

"Why should I be so concerned about that? This is only a dream and if my mind is picturing this then fine. It's not real so I don't need to warn anyone. When I wake in the morning Mr Weasley will be going to work at the Ministry. He wouldn't have needed to be here."

Ariel frowned. Did Chris not understand that this wasn't a usual dream? He had dragged Chris' consciousness into a vision. This was a type of reality which was why they were able to touch each other. Arthur Weasley would die. Oh well… if he did then it was simply one less supporter for the Dark Lord to worry over later.

Reluctantly, Ariel pushed Chris back and stepped away from him, moving instead towards Nagini.

"I think you should return to sleep Chris. This will be a day to remember in the future."

Ariel watched as Chris faded, unhappily. He hadn't desired his fun to end however there were more important things for him to consider at such a time. Tom couldn't have been happy to send Nagini here alone knowing what she was. He would need to show her the way to Pandora's Box so she would be able to return to her master's side as soon as possible with the information.

"_You should not be so familiar with that child, future consort of my master."_ Nagini hissed. _"You have master and that is all you should ever need."_

Ariel huffed. This was coming from a snake that could have multiple partners if she desired. How annoying.

"_I am only having fun while I am stuck in limbo. If the Dark Lord can't stand the fact that I am messing with the little lion's head then that is his problem and he shall have to find a way around it. We are not currently in a relationship so I'm also not cheating on him if that was your next argument. Until then I shall enjoy whoever I please." _

Ariel stared directly into Nagini's eyes as he spoke. The gasping of Arthur Weasley was slowly fading in the background as he took his final breath. Eventually Ariel won and he turned back to survey the bites all over the Weasley man.

The attack had been swift, that he had seen. Given what she was to the Dark Lord, Ariel hadn't expected her to be defenceless yet that absolutely blew his mind. It was obvious that despite the connection to the Dark Lord, Nagini had some form of magical enhancement.

She was swift for a large snake and knew how to use her weight to impact at a greater force upon her prey. Nagini was smart and cunning yet easily agitated when ignored or her master was threatened. If he had time to examine her, Ariel was almost positive that her venom would be deadly. The three bites that Nagini had delivered to Arthur Weasley had killed him within a minute or two tops. With this combination, it was almost no wonder why the Light feared her as much as the Dark Lord.

Finished with his appraisal of Nagini's abilities, he turned back to the restless snake.

"_Are you ready to leave child or do you wish to linger in this hallway?"_ Nagini hissed angrily.

Ariel raised an eyebrow. Nagini obviously wasn't a very patient snake… perhaps she took that from the Dark Lord?

"_I suppose I had better show you the way so you may return to your master. He must be awfully concerned over your safety. Couldn't imagine what he would do without you by his side."_ Ariel said mockingly.

Honestly, he'd only just met the serpent and he already wanted to be rid of her company. She was far too easily angered for his enjoyment. With her around, his fun would be ruined. She would be like an overprotective parent that never allowed him to do anything he desired.

"_That would be most appropriate."_ She agreed.

Ariel scowled. This snake was getting on his nerves. It was really quite odd as well. Being what they were, Ariel had thought that he would get along with Nagini. Yet for some reason neither could stand each other. Perhaps he should bring that up with Tom when he spoke with him next? At least then he might gain some logical answers.

With that, he turned and began to walk away from the hallway and towards that door. He knew all too well what was going to be on the other side of the door. So he turned the knob and allowed Nagini to enter ahead of him before closing the door behind her.

They entered into a circular room with doors surrounding them. Ariel knew from memory that there were exactly thirteen doors to this room all guaranteed to take you to a different location. Only one door would lead you out while one door was sure to lead to your death. The other doors were to numerous places within the Department of Mysteries. Of course you could travel throughout the department without having to go through this room. It was just the easiest way to travel around yet not to the easiest to know where you were going.

These doors would always confuse those that entered the room because the circular room spun around as soon as all doors were closed. The room didn't care if you were separated from those you were travelling with. It just spun around to make sure that those who didn't belong within the walls didn't know where they were going.

The walls immediately began spinning around as soon as he had closed the door while Nagini hissed in agitation. She obviously didn't enjoy this room at all and he took pleasure in knowing one of her weaknesses. Perhaps he would be able to use it against her when she began annoying him once again.

Smirking down at her, he spoke. _"There is a trick to the doors that only a few Unspeakables know of but I must divulge to you. To find the location you wish to enter, all you have to do is wait for the doors to stop revolving and look at the carvings in each door. They will look remarkably similar but there are certain differences that you must search for. The door you will need to enter is the one with detailed skull and crossbones in the top right hand corner. Ignore the other doors. They won't lead you where you need to go."_

Nagini continued to hiss in agitation.

"_I won't need to inform you of where to go once the Dark Lord has me since I know where to go and I can sense everyone. All the Dark Lord will need to do is trust that I am leading him in the correct direction."_

Once the doors ceased moving, Ariel turned around until he spotted the sign he needed to locate. He opened the door and allowed Nagini through before him. From there he walked down the hallway. They weren't in the Forbidden Room yet.

The Forbidden Room was the only room that didn't have a door connected to the circular room. Every other room did but his. Ariel knew it was to keep thieves and those without access away from the room. Those that did locate it on happenstance didn't get away from it. Instead the room became a maze and you were trapped until someone arrived to free you. From there however, you would be sent to Azkaban for trespassing. It wasn't called the Forbidden Room for nothing.

"_When Severus and Tom arrive in Pandora's Box and are finally faced with my form, Severus will know what to do from there."_ He continued.

Nagini still hadn't said a word yet so he felt as if he needed to fill the gap with words. He hadn't ever felt that way before and it was odd. If someone preferred silence then he was silent. If someone spoke loudly then he was silent. No matter what he was usually silent. So to have the urge to speak was something altogether.

As they passed the hallway that led into the Time Room, Nagini decided to speak.

"_Does master not know what is planned once he reaches the room?" _

Ariel shook his head and told her no. There were reasons for that after all.

"_What I have informed Severus to do can only be accomplished by a true Potions Master. If anyone other attempts to do so, I shall die. I thought it best not to tell the Dark Lord this."_

Nagini hissed her displeasure. Obviously she thought her Lord should be kept in the know on everything.

Ariel disagreed. If certain people were left out of the plans they didn't need to know then they would focus on what the needed to do rather than what would happen should someone else make a mistake.

They continued on in silence taking twists and turns through the Department of Mysteries. The path was difficult to remember considering it appeared to double back and pass the same corridor on three separate occasions. But Nagini was obviously not having any problem with it as she continued to slither behind him.

Eventually they reached a door with a label on it reading, Pandora's Box. It was almost so simple that many wouldn't believe it. Yet should anyone attempt on their own without a guide they would be lost forever. Ariel could only hope that Nagini could remember it all otherwise the Dark Lord would remain lost in the Department of Mysteries. He couldn't have that. Not when he was so close to his freedom.

"_Is there anything else I should know before Tom attempts this rescue mission?"_ Ariel questioned turning to Nagini.

Nagini if anything looked around bored at their final location before answering.

"_There shall be other Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries at the same time. They will be causing a diversion to keep the Order of the Phoenix away from Master and the Potions man."_

A diversion… what would he need a diversion for? Perhaps he was attempting to be rid of some Order members whilst gaining a new one. It was a crazy idea and very risky but Ariel wasn't going to tell the Dark Lord what to do with his followers.

"_What diversion is this?"_ he asked curiously.

"_They will be attempting to steal an orb from the Hall of Prohecy."_

"_The same one I told Tom about?"_

"_Indeed. Since obtaining this item isn't something that is necessary, it won't matter if they fail. They only need to keep everyone busy until Master enters with you by his side."_

Well that was interesting. They set a diversion that would keep the other side busy and it needn't matter if they lost for Tom already knew of the prophecy. It wasn't something he was desperate to obtain unlike him. If anyone were to discover the Dark Lord was there for a different purpose everything would be ruined. But to have something to distract them would be excellent.

"_Very well, tell your master I shall be prepared whenever this day arrives."_

Nagini hissed before turning and slithering into the darkness.

Ariel already knew she was back-tracking the path he had shown her. The snake was simply too smart to lose her way, annoying as she was. Sighing, he allowed himself a momentary glance around the Forbidden Room before fading back into the locked room known as Pandora's Box.

* * *

**We're getting closer to Ariel's arrival in full body form! I'm getting excited over my own story. ^.^'**

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! They mean so much to me. **

**~MidnightEmber**


	9. Chapter 9

**~ Chapter Nine ~**

Chris stabbed at his breakfast with his fork. Many people already eating in the Great Hall flinched away. They could easily tell that their saviour wasn't in the mood to be swarmed upon so they left him be. If he wanted loud noise Chris would create them causing the entire hall to be loud and obnoxious (minus the Slytherin's). This was obviously different. The mood Chris was in hadn't ever happened before so no one knew how to act.

Hermione was amongst the many that flinched as her friend continued to stab at his breakfast. This was definitely unlike him. Chris was so happy and go-lucky that to be in such a bad mood something terrible must have occurred. Yet she had a feeling that it wasn't as simple as that. As he stabbed at his breakfast again she just had to ask,

"Chris, is something the matter?"

Chris didn't even glance at her when he replied, "What do you mean Hermione?"

"You seem to be preoccupied over something major and it's affecting your mood."

"I'm just thinking about Ariel."

Ariel was always on his mind even more so since last night.

Last night had been pure bliss for Chris. He had finally seen Ariel up close. They had spoken briefly before and after their intimacy but he had hardly been paying attention to that. Ariel had been close to him. He had been able to finally touch Ariel and to him nothing else had mattered at the time. Chris' life revolved around Ariel and his ongoing search to locate him.

However their encounter had only been brief thanks to that stupid snake. Chris hadn't gone as far with Ariel as he had liked and it was that snake's fault. The snake had interrupted their time together by attacking the dream-Arthur. Ariel hadn't wanted to do anything with Chris after that. Stupid Nagini… stupid Voldemort!

Chris heard Hermione sigh at him and managed to remove his glare from his plate to pay attention to her.

"Chris, you're obsessed with locating this Ariel. Do you even know if he exists?"

The glare remained on his face. How dare she even contemplate that Ariel not exist. He was real and Chris was determined to locate him in any way possible.

"I know he exists, Hermione, even if it is merely in my dreams for now. Ariel is someone special to me. I understand so much about him that I never even realized before and in doing so I know so much more about myself. I have never felt this close to someone in my life and it's an amazing feeling to finally have."

Hermione frowned at this. It was obvious she wasn't going to let this conversation slide. She was going to make her point whether he liked it or not and until they came to an understanding she would keep at it.

"I just worry that the You-Know-Who is somehow giving you these visions and Ariel is just something used to keep your mind off of what is most important."

Everything he did or said came back to Voldemort. If he had a strange dream, Voldemort caused it. If by chance he had an unlucky run-in with Slytherin's, it was Voldemort's fault. Voldemort, Voldemort, Voldemort! Now that he had returned and was working against the Ministry and the Order that was the go-to excuse. If something bad or strange occurred, Voldemort was behind it. Quite honestly, Chris was beginning to get sick of it.

"It's not Voldemort, Hermione. Dumbledore told me that Voldemort wouldn't worry about making visions pain-free so I would know when he decides to send me a vision. I would also be able to tell if it were him sending them to me. Supposedly he would target me family and make me feel as if I need to get to them or he would send me painful visions of people getting tortured at his hands." Chris informed her. "Hermione I would know if this were his attempt at something, trust me."

"I know. I just worry. You're simply so obsessed with this Ariel that you tend to forget those around you. Your friends, family, none of those seem to matter to you anymore."

At last he appeared to be getting through to his friend except now she was bringing up yet another issue she had with Ariel.

"I spend heaps of time with you and Ron. Mum and Dad don't really count because I can't see them during the year." Chris explained in exasperation.

"That's not the point Chris." Hermione huffed.

Seriously? What was her problem? If he could explain what was happening and she could see that it wasn't affecting him then it should be alright. But no, she had to make her point and show him that she was always right. Well she wasn't. She definitely wasn't always correct in her assumptions and this was just one of many.

"Then name something that I've dropped recently." Chris challenged.

"How about your relationship with Ginny? The pair of you were beginning to get really close and then you simply stopped paying her any attention. I could tell that even though Ron didn't really approve of how young you both were he was happy for the pair of you. Now it seems like she is some star-struck groupie and you ignore her."

Chris groaned. Ron's little sister was the last person he wanted to be speaking about now.

Before Ariel had shown up in his life, Ginny had been moseying up to him. He had known for a while that she had a desire to be with him and quite frankly it wasn't something he had enjoyed. Her 'love' for him was based on fairy tales told to her as a child. Add to that his constant hero-complex and it was a recipe for puppy love and hero-worship. It was very disconcerting.

Many people had the same problem when it concerned the Boy-Who-Lived. The only reason he put up with it from Ginny was because he cared about what his friend thought. If he hurt Ginny then Ron would become angry at him. That was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

There was no way he would ask Ginny out on a date regardless of the star-struck look in her eyes. Ariel was simply more important to him than Ron's little sister at the moment. Ariel was his entire world.

"The feelings I have for Ariel are nothing compared to what I feel for Ginny." He began. "If I were to ask Ginny out it wouldn't be very fair to her. I'd only be thinking of Ariel even if it were Ginny before me. I don't want to use her like that."

Hopefully, Hermione would be able to hear the truth in his voice and see the conviction in his eyes. She had to believe that Ginny was nothing more than Ron's little sister to him regardless of what everyone hoped could occur.

"That is very mature of you Chris though I am a little shocked. I never thought that you were capable of it." Hermione admitted.

Chris smiled. She finally understood him.

"Now if only Ron could get the memo." He said jokingly.

Hermione giggled. She could tell that Chris was speaking the truth about his feelings. He wasn't simply saying these things to keep Ginny out of harm's way. He was truly falling for this Ariel. Whoever he was, he must have been something absolutely special to catch the attention of the Boy-Saviour. Suddenly, she was curious.

"So what is he like?"

Chris scrunched his face up in confusion. He could be so dim at times. Hermione hoped that Ariel had a lot of patience to handle her friend. He was going to need it.

"What is who like, Hermione?"

"What is Ariel like silly? Obviously he must be something special in yours eyes if you covet him so much."

Chris couldn't help the goofy grin the crossed his face. Ariel was simply a topic that made his mind through all his logical thinking out the window. He couldn't think properly when Ariel was on his mind. He was basically a mindless zombie.

"The only time I have ever met Ariel is in my dreams. That in itself has to prove how far we are from each other. Yet that doesn't matter to either of us. We still continue to meet in our dreams, spending as much time there as possible." Chris began.

"Is that why you are so tired all of the time? You're spending all of your time asleep with Ariel or searching for him in your dreams? You know everyone has been worried about how much time you are spending asleep." Hermione said in concern.

Chris nodded his head. He knew that he was spending more time sleeping in the hope that he might catch a glimpse of Ariel. His dreams were the only way they could meet currently so that was where he desired to spend most of his time. Many, like Hermione, were concerned that he spent too much time asleep. However in the end it would be worth it when he could show Ariel to them all.

"Ariel could only be described as perfect." Chris finally said.

Hermione scoffed but allowed him to continue.

"Seriously Hermione, I'm telling the truth! He is perfectly proportioned and very lithe. Definitely shorter than me by a fair bit, he has long black hair and the brightest green eyes I have ever seen on a person. He's graceful and quiet more than likely studious and hasn't ever said a word to upset me. His hands are pale and smooth. Hermione, he's practically a god he's simply that perfect and brilliant. Oh, Merlin, if only I had a photo I could show you of him." Chris practically drooled over the table.

Thankfully, his emotional reactions hadn't gone unnoticed by the Great Hall and they had relaxed knowing that nothing was significantly wrong with their saviour. Hermione had managed to achieve her goal of snapping Chris out of his funk.

"He does sound perfect Chris but his appearance can't be all you're attracted to, right? There is more to life than simply looks." She asked.

Chris sighed. Of course that wasn't it.

"His personality is pure gold as well Hermione. He doesn't buy into the entire Boy-Who-Lived thing. In fact I doubt he even realizes who I am completely. All he ever says is my first name. Not that it bothers me. Merlin, I love that about him. He doesn't judge me on what I have done only on what I am and it is relieving. He's polite and allows me to speak when I need to. Quite honestly, I'm the one that is wondering what he's doing with me, not the other way around." Chris admitted.

Ariel was just so perfect that it was almost a shame that he was paying Chris any attention at all. He could have aimed a lot higher. Malfoy would have probably been more suited to Ariel. They were at least both highly aristocratic. However he doubted Draco's personality would be tolerated by Ariel any length of time.

"He has this nickname for me as well. Don't give me that look I'm not telling you, Hermione." Chris said, narrowing his eyes. That would be kept between them. "I hold him and he simply fits perfectly against me, almost as if we were made for each other. We hold hands and his fits perfectly within mine. His lips are soft and his laughter is like chimes in the breeze. There so much I could tell you about him, Hermione."

Chris glanced up and noticed that his friend was blushing cherry red. He obviously hadn't been paying a lot of attention to what he was saying. However if it had affected Hermione in such a way then he highly doubted that she would be bothering him again about this subject.

"Chris that sounds… he sounds…" Hermione stuttered through her embarrassment.

"Amazing?" Chris said playfully.

Hermione nodded her head furiously. It didn't sound like Chris was describing a real person. This description was obviously of some higher power… not that she believed in any of that! But Ariel simply sounded too good to be true.

"I can't wait for you to find him so I can finally meet him!" she said breathlessly.

Chris laughed at her reaction. Ariel was purely amazing and he truly couldn't wait for all of his friends and family to be introduced.

"Finally meet who?" a sleepy voice said from behind them.

Chris laughed while Hermione giggled. Ron's shirt was still ruffled while his hair was all over the place. It was so bad it almost looked like Chris' ridiculous mop of hair and that was saying something. Most Gryffindor's took a long time to wake in the mornings yet Ron had to take the cake for this. He was probably the laziest in the morning out of everyone in the Tower.

"What?" he asked, grabbing at the breakfast plates.

Another thing that never changed was Ron's eating habits.

"Honestly Ron," Hermione sighed as she flicked her wand.

Instantly, Ron's clothing and hair were straightened properly. Hermione refused to walk around with them when they were completely unpresentable. While Chris could keep his uniform in good condition, Ron appeared to have more trouble at it. That was why Hermione was their unofficial mother.

"What were you talking bout?" he asked as he finally started filling his plate with numerous things.

Hermione simply shook her head in exasperation and located a book to read so she wouldn't have to watch Ron hash at his breakfast.

"We're just speaking about Ariel, Ron, nothing more. Hermione really wants to meet him."

Chris watched Ron give an uncomfortable wiggle. Though Ron was supportive of Chris' choice, he was uncomfortable talking about it. This really didn't bother Chris since he was just glad both his friends were supporting him on this.

Hermione sighed at this but didn't comment further. She thought that Ron was being ridiculous but didn't push him on it. He would manage to come around in his own time.

The sounds of the Great Hall surrounded them as they fell into a comfortable silence. Mornings seemed to be the only time that they could relax. There weren't any dramas or Malfoy plots. There was only company and food. It was perfect and the trio had come to realize that mornings (regardless of how late they woke) were far more tolerable than the rest of the day.

That was about to change.

Their Head of House burst into the room with such dramatic flair they had almost confused her with Snape. Even the air around her screamed depressed. Something about her screamed wrong. It wasn't that she wasn't McGonagall either. Something was simply happening that had her acting frantically.

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger, the Headmaster would like to see you in his office right away." McGonagall said firmly.

Chris immediately frowned. There was something in her voice that shook him. Her gestures were frantic and she didn't stay long enough to even ask her a question. She merely moved down the Gryffindor table to speak to the other members of the Weasley brood. Yes, something was terribly wrong.

Together, they all moved towards the Headmaster's office. Luckily, the stone guardian moved without their knowledge of the password. It never did that and immediately put Chris on edge.

His mind immediately jumped to the Order of the Phoenix. Had something gone wrong? He had no idea what it would be since the adults never spoke about it when they were within earshot.

The group entered the office only to find Dumbledore sitting at his desk staring at his hands. The fireplace was lit and obviously connected to another location as the fire was green. The atmosphere was solemn and they all realized that something had happened and it all concerned them in some way.

"Professor, why have you called us here?" Hermione questioned quietly.

"You may want to be seated for this news," was the reply.

Taking a calm breath, Chris sat down next to Ron and Hermione. The twins and Ginny sat on the other seat available. Everyone was tense with what news was to come.

"I'm afraid to say that your father, while on a mission for the Order, was killed last night by a venomous snake." Dumbledore admitted softly to the Weasley's.

Ginny immediately burst into tears and turned to Fred and George for comfort. Ron leaned heavily on Hermione who was also weeping silently. Chris however was frozen in place.

He couldn't believe this. Memories of last night's dream rushed to him.

-x-

_"Are you not going to warn someone about the attack on your father's friend?"_

_"Why should I be so concerned about that? This is only a dream and if my mind is picturing this then fine. It's not real so I don't need to warn anyone. When I wake in the morning Mr Weasley will be going to work at the Ministry. He wouldn't have needed to be here."_

_"I think you should return to sleep Chris. This will be a day to remember in the future."_

-x-

The words that they had spoken in his dream resurfaced causing him to pale noticeably. Everyone gasped and rushed forward as he swayed dangerously even while sitting. Ron and Hermione were looking at him worriedly. They knew he remembered something painful, something to do with this turn of events.

"What is it my boy?" Dumbledore questioned lightly.

"Ariel," Chris whispered. "Ariel told me that I should warn someone of the attack. But I chose to stay believing that it as just a dream. I allowed Mr Weasely to die."

This seemed to shake everyone in the room even further. They hadn't expected him to say that ever.

"My dear boy, you should have told someone-" Dumbledore began scoldingly.

Chris flew into a rage.

"How could I have known that? You don't tell me anything about the Order or what they are doing! You've even forbidden the few adults that would tell me from revealing anything! Ariel has been more informative than you!" Chris shouted.

Dumbledore looked completely shocked at this turn of events. Had he expected that quietly chastising him would do any good? Was he meant to feel like it was entirely his fault? It wasn't. If anything Dumbledore was even further at fault than him.

The Headmaster hung his head as if shamed. For some reason Chris didn't truly believe him.

"Forgive me, I will give you time to think since you are so shaken by this event. You have all been given leave to return home early. You will find your parents waiting for you at Grimmauld Place."

Chris just chose to escort his friends to the fireplace. Dumbledore had screwed up. It wasn't him that needed to think, it was the Headmaster and if he didn't see that then Chris was wasting his time.

With a quiet voice and a solemn air, the group all left Hogwarts for the holidays.

x-x-x-x-x

Voldemort's laugh echoed around the manor. It was eerie and chilling, making many of his followers shiver uncontrollably. However they didn't particularly care. If the Dark Lord was happy, it only meant that they were less likely to be crucioed for their mistakes. The Inner Circle may have been privileged but the rest weren't as lucky. When the Dark Lord was unhappy they knew about it. So this was a good turn of events. Still they moved further away to give their master some privacy.

The Dark Lord gently stroked Nagini's head as she curled around him.

"_So one of the old coot's loyal birds is dead, excellent work my dear Nagini."_ Voldemort congratulated from within his throne room.

Nagini hissed in pleasure. The Dark Lord chuckled again.

His wonderful familiar had done an exceptional job. Not only had she made a mental map of the way through to Pandora's Box but she had also taken out one of Dumbledore's lackeys. The fact that he just happened to be a Ministry worker and a muggle-lover was a bonus. It was just one less idiot in the world for him to take out when the time finally arrived.

"_Yes, but your mate allowed that spawn to touch him inappropriately. He belongs to you master, he should have not done that."_

Voldemort frowned. No, Ariel shouldn't have allowed that filthy brat to touch him especially when he had refused point blank to do any of that with him. Ariel belonged to him and him alone. After all Dark Lord's didn't share especially with Golden brat's that should have been dead.

Ariel should have been touching him, kissing him. He should have been standing by the Dark Lord's side while his army decimated the Light forces and took control of Wizarding Britain. Ariel shouldn't have been anywhere near that pompous goody two-shoes. He deserved far better than that pathetic weakling.

The Dark Lord growled. He was actually jealous of a fifteen year old boy. He was roughly seventy years old and he was seriously jealous of a fifteen year old child. It irked him.

"_Indeed, my dear. However once I get rid of Christopher Potter there will be no competition. I will be the sole person Ariel directs his affections to and once I rescue him from his cage, he will be mine."_

Yes, Ariel was his and no one would stand in the way of their affections. He would do anything to keep Ariel by his side for all eternity.

"_At least I have a way to get to Ariel now. It shouldn't take too much to work out the small flaws within my plan and make sure everything is perfect. If I fail in this, Ariel could be found by that pesky Gryffindor."_ He growled.

Nagini rubber her head against his hand comfortingly.

"_Do not fear master, no matter what happened with that spawn, Ariel only felt physical attraction. He has not allowed himself to become emotionally attached to the spawn. Your mate, perhaps not faithful, is only emotionally yours."_

Voldemort allowed himself to relax at these words. Nagini's word was one that he trusted absolutely. She would not lie to him to make him feel better, a snake simply couldn't.

"_That is good to know my dear, yet I still want that brat out of the picture. I can't handle having the possibility of losing Ariel before me. No, Christopher Potter shall die regardless of what Ariel desires. Dark Lord's do not share."_ Voldemort hissed. _"However first I need to focus on what is most important and that is Ariel. I have everything I need to set him free and all I need to do is fine tune everything with the information you have provided me, dear Nagini."_

Ariel was still trapped in Pandora's Box and every second that he wasted sitting around was more time lost for Ariel. He would not have his beloved suffering in that prison anymore.

"_Hurry, I want your mate where I can keep an eye on him. The spawn shall never see your mate again, my master."_ Nagini agreed.

Voldemort stood and allowed Nagini to wrap herself comfortably around him. Together they made their way into the Dark Lord's private study where all of his plans were laid out before him. They spent hours fine tuning everything with the information and directions provided by Nagini until it was all done.

Sighing, the Dark Lord looked out into the moonlit sky.

"Soon, Ariel, soon you shall be free of that cage."

* * *

**So here we have another chapter. Hope you all enjoy it and thank you for the reviews!**

**~MidnightEmber**


	10. Chapter 10

**~ Chapter Ten ~**

It couldn't be real. It just couldn't.

Colours flashed off stone walls. Screams were echoing inside his mind both male and female, cackles of laughter so sinister that it brought chills to him. Blood seemed to layer the ground beneath his feet as he stood amongst the carnage. It was almost like the climax scenes in a horror film.

None of this could be real!

Chris was shaking with fear. Never had he witnessed something quite like this. Sure he'd faced off against Voldemort numerous times, but now he severely doubted his abilities. If the Death Eaters fought with such ferocity, then the Dark Lord would be worse in battle. At this point, Chris believed the Dark Lord had only been toying with him.

They moved so swiftly and cast spells with such accuracy. It made his usual attempts to be childlike. He couldn't match something like that. Yet that wasn't even the worst of it all. The scene that he was watching was made a million times worse by having a family member right in the middle of it all.

His mother was fighting for her life alone.

Hexes were thrown everywhere and some were even bouncing off the walls and returning into the fray. Spells collided with whoever walked into their path, uncaring of the sender. People fell over each other in an attempt to get a hit on the fabled Order member. The Death Eaters who were farther back simply shouted curses that protected against portkey and apparition, giving them the upper hand.

It was pure chaos and Lily Potter was stuck in the middle of it with no one able to reach her.

Unfortunately, Chris knew that this was a dream. The last thing he remembered was climbing into the gold and red four-poster bed next to Ron. Of course he had expected to dream, just not of this.

He'd expected to fall into a lovely yet slightly bizarre dream with Ariel like he had been doing for the past few nights. They had become quite close in their time spent together and Chris believed they were close to moving further into a relationship. Ariel wasn't quite sold on the idea of sex yet even if they had played with each other on numerous occasions. But this night he had been positive that was the way they were going.

So this particular dream came as a complete surprise.

Chris was honestly shocked. He didn't know what to do. What did someone do when faced with a dream such as this?

Did one simply wake and forget that it had ever occurred? After all, if it was anything, it was simply a nightmare. When someone woke from those, they were comforted by their friends and family because realistically it could never occur.

He could act upon it but if it was wrong, he would look like a complete lunatic. Not just because of whom it was, but also because of where his dream was taking place. The Department of Mysteries wasn't exactly a place someone just walked into.

It was his decision either way.

As Chris watched his mother slowly begin to fall to the Death Eaters, he began to worry. His gut was telling him that his mother was safe and sound at home with his father. Conflicting this was his mind. It was telling him that his mother was in danger and he had to go and rescue her. He needed to prevent her death. But which was right?

He remembered the subtle warnings that Ariel had given him whilst Nagini was attacking Arthur Weasley. He hadn't acted then and Mr Weasley had been killed because of it. His mind and gut had been in the same conflict then as well. Could he really wake up and not do anything now that his own mother was in peril?

Then again if it wasn't real and he did act upon it who else would be placed in harm's way?

"Chris, can you really sit here while your mother suffers?"

The voice was distinctly Ariel. Or perhaps it was his consciousness using Ariel's voice? Either way it was good to hear him during such a time.

"Little Lion, your mother is battling against odds here. She is not likely to make it should aid not come to her."

Chris began to feel really guilty. Was he sitting by and watching this happen? Could he watch the death of his mother and not do anything about it?

"Her death won't be swift, little lion. You know this. Death Eaters pride themselves on breaking their victims before killing them. She could spend years being tortured by them. Will you allow that to happen?"

Chris felt tears streaming down his face. He really needed to feel Ariel right now. What he wanted was comfort, not this. Why wasn't Ariel trying to comfort him while his mother suffered?

"Chris, wake up. She isn't dead yet. You and only you can go and save her. The Order won't get to her in time to save her. But you must act now."

"Why won't the Order reach her in time?" Chris asked as he flinched from his mother's scream.

He could almost see Ariel's smile before his reply.

"Little Lion, they will not believe you. They have their own agenda and that includes keeping you in the dark and protecting your childhood. When have the adults ever given you any information to aid you? They will only attempt to comfort you. By the time they act, your mother will already be gone from the area."

"What about you? They believed me when I mentioned you."

"Lion, they were only humouring you. After all, it is better to be dreaming of your lover rather than what the Dark Lord might be planning."

Chris could instantly see the truth to Ariel's words. They had kept him in the dark. He was the one the Dark Lord wanted yet they were all protecting him, sheltering him. The Order continuously risked their lives for him when what he truly needed was for them to train him. What he needed was for someone to realize that he wasn't a child anymore. He was the Chosen One.

"Ariel, what do I do? How do I save my mother?"

"You need to wake up, Little Lion. The rest is up to you…"

Chris woke up gasping for breath, Ariel's voice slowly fading from his thoughts. He needed to get his mother. He had to reach her in time. His mother was one person he couldn't lose, not like this.

Rolling out of bed, he grabbed the first shirt he could and a pair of pants while simultaneously stowing his wand in his pocket. He would need to move fast and he would need the help of those he could rely on. Ron was one of those people.

"Ron, Ron wake up!" he said urgently, attempting to raise his best friend.

"What's it?" Ron grumbled. "Mate, what time is it?"

"We need to get to the Department of Mysteries."

x-x-x-x-x

Voldemort was watching Ariel. He looked so peaceful which was the complete opposite of what he was currently feeling.

They were within Ariel's mindscape, surrounded by flowers that waved in the breeze. They weren't speaking. The only sound was the constant rustle of flowers. The silence between them was something that, Voldemort decided, should never happen if they argued. It was unbearable.

Still that wasn't why the Dark Lord was anything but calm.

Ariel was inside that Potter brat's dreams once again and it wasn't something Voldemort enjoyed seeing. He would only admit this to himself, but he was jealous of that damn brat.

The numerous times Ariel saw Chris was astounding and they didn't simply talk either. No they went a step further than Ariel and Tom. They played with each other, they kissed and they touched. All of this had happened in the mere week that the Weasley patriarch had died. It drove him into a rage.

No one was allowed to touch Ariel, even if he wasn't truly corporal in this form. Ariel's only saving grace was that he hadn't yet slept with the brat. That was probably the only reason that Voldemort had allowed this to go on for so long. Ariel would still have his innocence when the Dark Lord finally claimed the teen for himself.

Voldemort leered at the silent teen. He could hardly wait for that moment. However first he needed to know that his plans were being executed flawlessly.

The first part of his plan rested solely on Ariel. He needed the teen to get into the head of Christopher Potter and convince the brat to go to the Department of Mysteries. While the brat and his Death Eaters were causing havoc in the Department, he and Severus would be moving towards Pandora's Box. They would be setting Ariel free this very day.

"Everything is set." Ariel spoke, coming around. "Chris is waking as we speak and plans to head directly towards the Department of Mysteries."

Voldemort nodded his acceptance. This was it. Everything that he had been working towards would finally be his. He would finally be releasing Ariel from his prison and keeping him safe for the remainder of their lives.

"You're only going to have one chance at this, so don't make any mistakes."

Ariel had been constantly repeating that since he had entered the mindscape. Honestly, didn't the child trust him enough to get the job done right the first time?

"Mistakes could be costly and you more than likely won't be able to get another chance like this one. They'll tighten security around the Ministry, making your job much harder than this. You'll also not have a distraction should you fail this time. Just make sure that you are prepared for everything when you leave."

The Dark Lord frowned at Ariel. The teen didn't normally ramble like this. Sure the entire thing was all information about what would happen should he fail but he didn't believe it to be necessary at this time. Lord Voldemort, after all, didn't make mistakes of this calibre so early in the game.

So, what was it that caused Ariel to react like this?

Ariel was always so smart. He knew everything that the Dark Lord enquired of. This genius, although merely a teen, often acted more like an adult than the child he was. Obviously, this was because he had spent so much time around adults and none around those his own age. Even through this, Voldemort had never seen Ariel act as he was doing now…

It was then that the Dark Lord realized something. Ariel was fidgeting and pulling at his clothing. He was shuffling around and attempting to tidy things even though there wasn't anything in his mindscape to tidy. It was such obvious behaviour that Voldemort didn't even know why it had taken him this long to figure it all out. After all his lower level Death Eaters often acted like this when he was around.

Ariel was nervous. He was nervous about what was soon to occur.

In all honesty, the Dark Lord could understand why this was such a huge deal for the teen. He'd never been outside before in his life. Ariel was like a bird in a gilded cage. He was always on show, always well cared for but never free. This however was his chance. He was so close to gaining freedom that it was causing him to become nervous and scared to what he may discover.

Voldemort smirked and took Ariel in his arms. The teen was shivering.

"I will be there in no time at all and then you shall be free." He said with conviction. "Severus and I will wake you and you will once again join the real world. There is nothing to fear Ariel."

The raven-haired teen gave a shaky laugh. Voldemort merely wrapped his arms tighter.

This was not the Ariel he enjoyed seeing and he would do everything in his power to keep Ariel from returning to this state. After all, the consort to the Dark Lord wasn't afraid of anything in his path.

"I will see you soon." Ariel spoke more strongly, as he stepped away from Tom's arms.

"You will see me soon, I swear by Merlin, you will see me soon."

"I'm holding you to that." Ariel whispered as the Dark Lord disappeared from his mindscape and was once again left alone, surrounded only by his flowers.

x-x-x-x-x

Voldemort felt himself stirring. Upon waking, he knew instantly he was in the throne room surrounded by his Death Eaters. All of whom were waiting patiently for the green light to begin whatever was tasked for them.

He immediately stood, not needing to stretch. Ariel was waiting for him and that was all that mattered at the current point in time.

"My faithful, we have been given an all clear. You all know what you must do. If for any reason you see Aurors, keep them busy, you know the drill. Don't let them see you and don't let them live."

The Death Eaters all roared except for the Inner Circle. Most of them were at least sophisticated enough to realize roaring was beneath them. They were also the group that would be keeping the little brat busy while Voldemort and Severus went to obtain Ariel.

"Now let's go and pave our way into the future of the Wizarding World."

This would be their first official strike. It wasn't a take-over. It was merely a warning of what was to come. As the Ministry didn't believe they were back, they needed to do something major to make them see reason. Sure it would have been easier if they did a simple take-over of the Ministry while they were all in disbelief. However it would get them nowhere.

Albus Dumbledore was sure to make an appearance with his Order and drive them back within minutes. No, first they needed to destroy the Ministry and decimate their ranks before any major take-over or battle could occur.

The sound of apparition echoed around the hall, leaving only Severus and Nagini by the Dark Lord's side. Severus had a bag hanging from his shoulder obviously filled with the potions that Ariel would have to ingest. The only other person who knew what those potions were was Ariel. Not even Voldemort knew what those potions would do.

"Are you sufficiently prepared, Severus?" the Dark Lord asked stiffly.

Voldemort really hadn't desired anyone else with him when he went to rescue Ariel. It would ruin the entire mood but there was little that could be done if Ariel had requested the man's assistance. If Ariel truly needed one of his minions then he would allow it provided it wasn't for certain things that he could provide.

"Yes master, I have even taken precaution and bought along a few potions that aren't necessary but might be needed should something go erroneous."

The Dark Lord nodded but Severus knew that he was anything but pleased. Ariel had warned him of this and he had known the consequences before agreeing to this mission. Voldemort was possessive and dangerous especially when it came to people or objects. So with Voldemort's attraction to Ariel also came with possessiveness and a danger of being cursed should you step incorrectly. Truly though, there was nothing to do about it. Severus wasn't about to abandon Ariel to the Ministry so he had to be cautious with his master instead.

"Very well, when you are ready follow me."

Severus groaned as the Dark Lord apparated with Nagini. When he said "when you are ready" he truly meant "as soon as I leave".

x-x-x-x-x

The place Nagini had led him to be was the hallway leading to the Department of Mysteries. This, she had said, had been the first place that she had met Ariel when he showed her the way. So, generally speaking, it would be easier for Nagini to follow the path from there rather than inside the Department.

The Dark Lord tried not to get murderous at the location. This had been where the brat had pinned Ariel against a wall and ravished him. It wasn't a pleasant place for him to be.

Not long after they arrived, Severus apparrated in behind them. He had taken longer than Voldemort had liked, but he allowed the man some leniency since he was also carrying a bag full of potions he also had to apparrate with.

"_Which way are we to head Nagini?"_ he hissed.

Nagini turned towards the only door along the corridor and nudge the Dark Lord in that direction. Severus followed behind them, remaining as close as possible. It would be easy to lose your way if you got side-tracked.

The first place they entered was the trickiest to get through. It was a circular room with thirteen doors all taking you to differing locations throughout the department. A few of the doors were simply pointless but one was their way out and one lead to certain death, neither of which they planned to enter as the room began to spin.

As the room slowly ceased spinning, the Dark Lord turned to make sure his potions master was alright before questioning his familiar.

"_Nagini, which door do we take?"_

Nagini, hissing in agitation, slowly turned her head to look at the doors. She wanted to take her master through here as swiftly as possible. This room was an abomination to her.

"_There is a carving on that door of a skill and crossbones in the top right hand corner. That is that door you desire to take, master."_

The Dark Lord nodded in acceptance before motioning Severus towards the door. He knew that if he opened it, he would need to be the last one out otherwise the doors would start to revolve again.

Once through, Voldemort placed his beloved familiar on the ground. She needed to lead them from here as silent as possible. After all there were still Unspeakables at work and if they were discovered everything would fall apart.

"_Go my pet, show us the way."_

Nagini hissed and slowly began to move through the winding corridors. It was frustrating that Ariel's room wasn't connected to the doorways. In fact it was the only major room that wasn't for whatever purpose that had served. For an unknown reason the room had been taken away off the network connecting the other rooms. At least that was what Augustus informed him.

The room, before the Dark Lord's downfall, had been connected to the circular room. It had been as easily assessable as the other rooms and many Unspeakables often spent their time there. Everything connecting that room had been removed with a month of his downfall. Unspeakables still journeyed there but it was more difficult to reach for those not assigned to whatever project they were working on.

Then on the eve of his downfall, ten years later, the entire room sealed itself off. Everyone within never made it out. Many of the Unspeakables had attempted to free their comrades but to no avail. The room had sealed, killing every last person within.

To this day, Augustus informed him, no one knew the specific reason the room had sealed. Many of their number speculated but that was all they could do. No one knew what their comrades had been working in within the walls of that room. None ever leaked even a little bit of information, so for Augustus to have knowledge that a person was within gave him the upper edge in his department.

Voldemort shook himself from his thoughts. Nagini was doing a brilliant job of remembering the correct turns to take regarding the pathways. Not once did she lose her way. Yet it couldn't quite quench the excitement the Dark Lord held.

Eventually, they reached the door with a simple label of Pandora's Box written across the top. The door didn't look remarkable at all which initially shocked both Voldemort and Severus. Nagini, having already viewed the door, knew what to expect and wasn't overly concerned. This was the correct door and as far as she was aware, her job was done.

_"Master, may I be sent back to the nest?"_

The Dark Lord merely placed the portkey between his familiar's teeth and activated it. He was still in shock. This was not what he had expected.

When he had first seen this in a dream it had been amazing. The door had been inlaid with gold while the wood chosen for the actual door was holly. It had been something no one could walk by without noticing. This thing was just bland and boring casting doubts on what he was actually doing.

"My Lord, I hate to interrupt your thoughts but the brat won't be alone with the Death Eaters forever. The Order will eventually come to their aid. We need to have woken Ariel by then."

Voldemort gave a tight nod and opened the door. Deep down, he knew not to expect the rolling hills filled with flowers but not seeing it was just… appalling.

The room itself was bleak. It didn't have any windows or candles to allow for light. There weren't any fields of flowers or a gazebo with Ariel waving from it. From what the Dark Lord could see, it was simply four cold, stone walls. There was nothing interesting about this place. It was sterile dark and in no way inviting.

Glancing around the dark space, Voldemort couldn't help but wonder if Ariel even looked similar to his dream. If this room was meant to be Pandora's Box, the very room Ariel was being kept in, then where were the flowers? They seemed to hold such significance for Ariel. Yet nothing even remotely similar was nearby. It was simply heart-wrenching.

Not that the Dark Lord revealed most of this. However from his movements Severus knew that this wasn't what the Dark Lord had been expecting.

What he had been expecting to find, Severus didn't know. Ariel had invaded his mind for them to speak. He'd never had the chance to enter Ariel's mind though that desire did exist. It would be a most curious thing to see how Ariel constructed his mind since he'd never been outside. All he had was the inside of his mind and these four stone walls. There was nothing else present here at all as far as he could see.

However that begged the question, where was Ariel?

Turning towards the stricken Dark Lord, he eventually decided to speak up.

"Forgive me, master, but where is Ariel meant to be?" he finally enquired.

The Dark Lord froze. If he had been thinking that numerous things were missing then that was the biggest of all. Where was Ariel in this room? He wasn't entirely positive of how far this room extended. The lighting was terrible and anything a mere metre in front of him disappeared into blackness.

Holding his wand up high, the Dark Lord cast the first thing that came to mind.

"Lumos."

* * *

**Hahaha, this is such a huge tease to you all as is the knowledge that I've completed the next chapter and it is in the list to be updated in January. So you'll have to be patient to see Ariel. Thank you to all who reviewed.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	11. Chapter 11

**~Chapter Eleven~ **

Chris could hardly believe what was happening. He'd travelled all of this way and yet there was nothing. There wasn't anything here that was leading him towards his mother's direction. Ariel had guided him within his dreams but here in the real world he was without a guide. He was without the one person that knew the way.

The group that had willingly come with him were silent as they walked through doors that never seemed to have a purpose. Hermione and Ron were huddled together, taking comfort in each other's presence. Neville just hunched in on himself. Yet that was to be expected. They boy was absolutely hopeless and should have been a Hufflepuff. Luna danced around them all without a care seeming to know something that no one else could tell. Ginny… well Ginny hadn't really spoken nor done anything since they'd arrived. It was rather frustrating.

Together, they walked through rooms that had little meaning to them. Rooms were piled with items that held little use to them. Hermione didn't even know how they would work or what they would ever be used for. Only Unspeakables would be able to see through any of this to make sense in the Department of Mysteries. As students at Hogwarts, they stood no chance against these machines. They could only move forward in their search and pray it was the right way.

Walking for what felt like hours, Chris began to lose hope of locating this place. His mother's life hung in the balance and he was rather powerless to stop it currently. All he could do was more through this twisted maze of doors and pathways and hope they led him in the direction he wanted to travel. Glancing up at the door to his right, Chris could have collapsed in relief. The Prophecy Room, it read. Chris sighed. From here at least he knew where to go.

The hallways within the Prophecy Room were filled with glass spheres. Rows and rows made up the entire room each having labels and probably quite a few well aged. Chris ignored all of them. There was only one particular row that held his interest, the row where his mother was fighting for her life. Labels flashed past him in his rush to get to his mother. Eventually the row he was searching for came into sight and he sped down it. The centre however, he realized as they approached, was silent.

No one moved as silence descended upon them. All that was heard was the sound of their nervous breathing. Nothing else in the area moved and by the dust at their feet no one had been to this section of the room in quite some time.

"Chris I don't think your mother's here." Hermione whispered.

Chris was frantic. But that couldn't be right! Ariel had promised that his mother would be here after all Ariel would never lie to him! Yet everything was silent. Everything was still. Was it possible that Ariel had simply spoken of the location at an incorrect moment?

"Maybe they just moved to another room. There are plenty of other rooms to duel in." Chris suggested.

The others didn't appear to be as satisfied with this answer but they nodded and turned to leave.

"Hey, mate, check this out!"

Chris turned sharply and stepped towards Ron. He was pointing onto a shelf just within reach. There was an orb but that wasn't what had caught Ron's attention. It was the label below it that made him focus. The only distinct marking she could see where the initials of Professor Trelawney, Headmaster Dumbledore and the Dark Lord. There were three other labels but all three were scratched out. It had to mean something but he didn't know what it signified.

Lifting it was rather easy. The thing just fell off the shelf into his hands like a dead weight. It looked worn and cracked as if the orb had been through a lot of turmoil or that of the prophecy it held did and was no longer relevant. Chris wasn't an expert so he couldn't tell for certain.

"Well what is it?"

"I think it's a prophecy about You-Know-Who." Chris whispered.

The other shifted uncomfortably before Hermione spoke up.

"Do you think we should take it?"

"I don't see why not." Chris said pocketing the orb.

However as they turned they came to the sudden realization that they weren't quite as alone as they had first assumed. It was difficult to tell but the outlines of Death Eaters were rather specific. Their small group huddled together in an attempt to get as far from them as possible. The Death Eaters simply moved closer.

Lucius and Bellatrix were the most prominent members of the group. While Lucius strode forward with confidence, Bellatrix gave a crazy little shuffle that startled the teens.

"I believe you should hand that prophecy over to me." Lucius said.

All Death Eaters had their wands drawn, every single one pointing at them in malevolence. Chris glanced around the frightened faces behind him. They only had one chance to escape this. He kept them all distracted while the others prepared what they needed to do. Whispered instructions passed between them, whilst attention remained focus on him. Just as he was preparing to give the order he noticed something strange. Luna was nowhere to be seen.

Glancing around, he realized she wasn't even with their group. At some stage she had wandered off and hadn't bothered to return as if knowing this would be what awaited them. Cursing silently, he decided if they made this out alive they would pay closer attention to her. Luna always appeared to know things before they happened. Choosing, to dwell on it later, he gave the signal.

There was no time to think. Spells shot out and shelves began to fall. Another distraction made their escape route possible and they ran. Unfortunately Ron fell behind and was lost amongst the falling spheres and shelves. They didn't stop though Hermione was sobbing. There would be a chance that he was alright but currently they didn't have the time to go back and make sure their friend was alright.

Without knowing where they were going, they all ran through the first door they could locate. No one knew where it had led them only that they were in a long hallway with many possible situations that would get them caught. They needed another door and fast.

Running up the corridor the next door was within several paces as the Death Eaters entered the passageway and spotted them. Everything seemed to slow as they sent curses towards them. Neville reached the door first and was inside before any of them hit. Hermione followed with Ginny not that far behind her. The curses flashed overhead as Chris tumbled into the room to avoid them. The ignored closing the door knowing it would only slow them down.

"What do we do now?" Ginny asked panting.

"We continue running until we reach an exit or someone to help us."

That was as simple as he could put it. Anything to drastic and they wouldn't stand a chance against a group of Death Eaters. As it was they'd already lost Ron and Luna though the latter was likely unharmed. Motioning towards the other door that was there only escape route option otherwise they would need to return to face Death Eaters.

Just as they reached the other side of the room a Death Eater lunged for them with a heavy metal object. Ginny was struck. It was a direct head wound but Chris didn't look back. He couldn't afford to lose more friends during this idiotic chase. He didn't even hear her body fall to the ground.

They leapt into another passageway and quickly found another door. Neville located the door again and they moved inside, this time closing the door behind them. They didn't have a lot of time however as they'd barely moved away when the Death Eaters came barrelling inside. Curses reigned supreme.

Flashes were thrown back and forth as Chris and Hermione attempted to cover Neville as he found the next door. Neville shouted in triumph and began opening it just as one of the Death Eaters threw a purple curse over their heads. Or at least that was what Chris had thought. Hermione crumpled beside him.

Chris couldn't help the sob that escaped him as he stared down at the gash on Hermione's chest. It was bleeding sluggishly and she was unconscious. He had no idea how to help her or even if she could be saved. Death Eaters were around so even if he was able to fix the gash, he would run out of time and then there wouldn't be anything to stop the Death Eaters from attacking. They would be weak. Like the others, he left and eventually found Neville, Death Eaters still on their tail.

The next room they stumbled through wasn't something anyone expected. It looked like something from a muggle science fair. Jars of preserved things floated around, some appearing decades old. Neither Neville nor Chris really knew what to do here. The room screamed horror story. The room screamed death.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Chris screamed as the green light left Bellatrix Lestrange's wand. It wasn't headed towards him however. No it was headed directly for Neville. It enveloped him and everyone stared, startled that Bellatrix had actually not bothered with maiming the kid instead going for instant death.

As soon as Neville hit the floor, he ran. He didn't know where he was running to only that there were Death Eaters behind him and they didn't care if the group consisted of students just that they grabbed what he was holding.

What was it about this particular orb that fascinated them so? Why was it so detrimental that they have this in their possession? Sure it mentioned the Dark Lord and something about Dumbledore and Trelawney but that was it! There was nothing else on it leading to anything! If this stupid orb was so important why hadn't they just gone for it themselves? Chris didn't know but somehow he knew that he was going to find out when the Death Eaters eventually caught him.

The room Chris eventually entered was rather dark. Only one item was within this room, a dark arch with a curtain. It certainly didn't leave any places for him to hide. Regardless, this was where the Death Eaters cornered him. How was he meant to defeat a group of ten Death Eaters by himself?

"Now you have nowhere to go. Your friends have all been defeated by Death Eaters. Boy, give me the prophecy." Lucius snarled.

Chris could only hold onto the orb and hope for a saviour.

x-x-x-x-x

What the Dark Lord saw before him rocked him to his very core. No flowers. Nothing was red or green or even remotely hilly. The entire area was stagnant. Grey stone walls surrounded the enclosed space. The word forever didn't belong here. Ariel didn't belong in this room at all. Pandora's Box was nothing more than a magical name attached to an unremarkable location. The only remarkable thing in the room was Ariel and even that was sullied in his mind.

Voldemort stepped into the room cautious of what may occur should he move too close. After only a few steps, he came to rest by Ariel. He nearly forgot to breathe at the sight before him.

In the centre, in the centre was Ariel but not as he had ever imagined. His hair was the same and he was betting if Ariel were to open his eyes they would be the same vibrant shade of green. However he was dressed in a plain white robe looking more like a hospital patient than the true beauty he was known as. He was motionless to the point of appearing on death's door. Ariel by the colouring of his skin had never seen sunlight. He was pale and fair as snow, sleeping in a glass coffin for all to see.

It was rather horrifying to come this far and to be faced with this. Voldemort hadn't felt like this in a long time. His last memory of this feeling was attached to returning to the orphanage every summer not knowing what the bullies would think of that year. It wasn't pleasant and he wanted it to be over as swiftly as possible yet he couldn't help but stare at the beauty before him.

"He looks like Snow White." Severus commented in the silence.

The Dark Lord said not a word however he agreed with Severus' assumption. For all intents purpose, Ariel did indeed look like Snow White. It was rather disturbing since Snow White had been fed poison as had Ariel just in different forms. He had also been found by those that truly cared for him. Hopefully the ending of their stories would also remain the same.

Just beneath the surface of the glass he could feel Ariel's magic stirring. It was unfathomable to feel. His magic was almost endless and sang with the same tune that the wind had within Ariel's mind. It was light yet had an undercurrent that spoke of deadly force. Reaching forward he touched the glass and watched as it dissolved before their very eyes. Ariel's magic exploded quite suddenly causing the room to shake. Voldemort could only hope that no one else was aware of what they were going. His Death Eaters should keep everyone busy for a time.

"Severus." The Dark Lord finally spoke.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Hurry."

Severus didn't grant him a reply, he simply moved as swiftly as he knew. The Dark Lord wasn't known for his patience so he moved as swiftly as he was able while following Ariel's instructions to the letter.

The first potion was meant to stimulate his inner organs. They were the most important. Ariel had informed him that everything had been stopped to keep his body in perfect condition. They couldn't have him sullying his body whilst he slept away. So everything was shut down except some of his brain function that permitted him to communicate with people. The main idea had been to keep the line of communication open for any questions to be asked. Ariel had killed his handlers before they could test it.

Severus leant down to make sure the potion was working accurately. He checked Ariel's pulse to ascertain it was normal followed by his lung and other body parts. They wouldn't be able to do complete tests until he started to eat again but that would have to wait until they were in a better environment. This one didn't allow them time to do so unfortunately.

The second potion was to stimulate his muscles. Ariel hadn't used them in quite some time so they wouldn't be able to work properly. He would be very awkward at first whilst moving. Help would be needed during the first hour so he could get used to the sensation he hadn't felt for years. However after the potion was ingested Severus made sure to stretch all of his limbs. It wasn't the best but it would help for a while.

The Dark Lord was staring at his servant intently. Everything he did had a purpose so far. There were a few times that he had come close to cursing Severus because of the motions he went through with Ariel's body. Yet once he recognized what they were his magic recoiled and waited. He didn't want to kill the man that Ariel had trained to wake him. Everything Ariel was hoping for was now in Severus' hands and it didn't sit well with him.

Lastly, the third potion was meant to drive the Dreamless Sleep from his system. Severus sighed. This was the final step. After this the teen should be able to move his body and wake. It wouldn't be a pleasant first week of recovery but he would recover in time. They both would need more patience however, he thought casting a look at his Lord.

"He should wake momentarily." He informed him before stepping back. Severus wasn't about to come between this reunion.

The minutes dragged on into hours or so it seemed. Voldemort knew by his internal clock that barely a minute had passed since Ariel had swallowed the last of the potion. If it kept going like this he would never be able to see his beautiful Ariel. Never would he witness the sparkling eyes filled with power or the smile that could turn married men. Ariel would never look into his face and whisper those words…

So deep in thought, it took him a moment to realize that he was no longer staring into closed eyes. Vibrant green eyes were fixed on him, blinking up at him. The porcelain face was turned upward in a small smile that held gratitude as well. He was staring into the very alive, very awake face of Ariel Ashling.

"I knew you would be the one to wake me."

His voice is soft and unused but the Dark Lord didn't care. He was hearing Ariel speak for the first time in his life. This wasn't a memory. This wasn't his mind creating this image. This was Ariel before him. The Dark Lord could barely believe it.

Without much thought he helped Ariel to sit up, watching as his black hair fell around him without a hair tie. He was still short and incredibly feminine. That hadn't changed at all. The only difference Voldemort could tell apart from the clothes was this Ariel was real. Ariel was before him, moving, breathing, living and he had him all to himself. No one would ever take Ariel from him now that he was finally within his grasp.

Severus had moved forward now that Ariel was awake. He needed to check that all of his potions were working accurately. If not they would need to move him from the Ministry swiftly without interfering with the duelling that was occurring at this very moment.

"Severus, stop doubting yourself." Ariel scolded as he stepped forward to check his status.

"I must do my job accurately Ariel otherwise if something goes wrong I will be to blame."

Ariel laughed and chiming bells filled the room causing the Dark Lord to snap back to reality. That laugh was only meant for him. He growled and Ariel turned his focus towards him as Severus continued with his work.

"_Do not feel threatened now, Tom. You are all I need for the remainder of our lives."_

He would have berated Ariel for speaking his true name allowed however he recognized the parseltogue just in time.

"_You speak my language."_

"_We speak our own language."_

The Dark Lord smirked. That could definitely come in handy.

The process of Severus checking his health didn't take too long. Now that Ariel was awake it was highly doubtful that he would simply allow others to touch him as casually as Severus was currently doing. The only reason Severus was permitted any of this was because he would be kept as their main Healer. He didn't have a Healing degree but he knew much more than any Healer out there. A Healer's touch would always be permitted to make sure Ariel was alright.

Eventually, Severus cleared Ariel to stand. Once standing, Voldemort realized that Ariel's height definitely hadn't changed. He was still very short compared to his towering form. He stood at least a head taller than Ariel. However he found he quite preferred it that way. He was after all going to dominate Ariel nothing would change that.

"Am I worth the trouble dear Dark Lord?"

Red eyes roamed down his form and returned to his face. The look was of a lover's appraisal. With a flick of his wand, Ariel was dressed in his usual robes. They accentuated his form even further and matched his appearance perfectly. Once again he was a very stunning and alluring. No one would be able to resist his charms though they would need to if they wanted to survive.

"That and so much more…" he commented.

Ariel smirked as he tied the conjured hair tie at the nape of his neck.

Severus turned away as they stared into each other. The looks were intense and he really didn't want to be caught between that. He'd had his chance and it had passed him by. Ariel was definitely off the markets so that wasn't a choice either. No he would keep his calm as usual.

The room shook with a tremendous force. Voldemort growled as they were interrupted however Ariel merely released another laugh. This one sounded slightly more sinister in its tone. Severus shivered. That definitely wasn't going to be good for the remainder of the Order or the kids that had travelled here. They were in serious trouble but he could care less. This was his calling. He Dark was all that mattered now. However he had a role to play in all of this and he couldn't yet abandon it.

"I do believe it is time we joined the fun, wouldn't you agree?" Ariel commented as Severus struggled with himself.

Voldemort smirked viciously. He turned towards Severus and seemed to notice his discomfort on the topic. Ariel sent him a look knowing what he had planned but was obviously against it. The Dark Lord caved.

"Severus you are dismissed."

Casting a glance at Ariel, he needed to make sure that this wasn't some sort of trick.

"You aren't ready to cement yourself with a side yet Severus. Eventually you will make a decision but here and now is not the correct time." Ariel said.

Severus nodded before fleeing the room. Voldemort chuckled. His spy still hadn't chosen a definite side. What was it that held him back even after what he had been placed through? Why did he continue to bounce back and forth when just recently his desire was for the Dark? If Ariel knew, he wasn't speaking on the topic.

"Where are we headed now?" The Dark Lord enquired.

"The Death Room is where everyone of importance is soon to be located." Ariel said with certainty.

With a smirk, the Dark Lord took hold of Ariel and apparrated away.

* * *

**Ahahaha and now everyone shall see the awesome power of Ariel! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the reviews.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	12. Chapter 12

**~Chapter Twelve~ **

The scene they arrived to was rather amusing. Within the Death Chamber the Death Eaters had surrounded Chris and were all jeering at him with cruel tones. As far as Ariel was aware he had arrived with a few others to help him. Not a very ingenious thing to do, but no one ever said a Gryffindor thought before they acted.

Ariels' eyes fluttered to a close as he searched for them. He didn't care about them but he was rather curious to know what had occurred. All but two were dead. Yet that wasn't very surprising. This was a group of teens going against Death Eater adults. They were bound to come off worse.

Neville Longbottom was the closest to their location. According to the information Ariel could find, he was hit with a Killing Curse and was gone instantly. Hermione Granger was as good as dead. No one would reach her in time anyway to close the wound that was bleeding heavily. Ginny Weasley had suffered a severe knock to the head that had killed her on impact and Ron Weasley had been crushed beneath the shelves in the Prophecy Room.

Of course with Chris before him that still left one child unaccounted for. A giggle told him otherwise.

Off to the side there was a short blonde girl. She was a rather curious thing, Ariel noticed immediately. There was simply this air about her that held knowledge and wisdom. With her faraway look most people would just cast her aside. Yet there was something about her that was special. Miss Luna Lovegood was definitely someone to watch.

Just as he was about to ask her a question, he felt the Dark Lord move beside him. This wasn't the correct time to get involved so Ariel held Voldemort back. He wanted to see what would happen before they intervened. As if on cue, Chris let out a mighty roar and threw the little globe.

The prophecy shattered. Shards of glass went everywhere and yet everything was silent. Chris had a smug look on his face not realizing that the prophecy hadn't even played. He didn't realize the repercussions of his actions. The adults however did and it didn't look good.

"Now your master can't get the prophecy anymore." Chris boasted.

The Death Eaters laughed. Potter didn't even know the first thing about what was happening around him. He didn't seem to understand that when a prophecy didn't play it usually meant that they had already been fulfilled. Chris had defeated the Dark Lord once before. It was unlikely the boy would be able to do so again.

"Potter, you insignificant child, you really know nothing at all." Rabastan sneered.

It was a rather pitiful sight after all to see a child meant to do an adults work. He would never survive. Add to that the fact this was merely a decoy and everything only got sweeter for the Dark.

"No one here to save you now…" came another taunt.

"Poor little saviour, there isn't any Dumbledore to save you… no one to hide behind…" Bellatrix cooed.

"Actually Dumbledore has been present the entire time."

The Death Eaters eyes snapped towards Ariel as he spoke but upon noticing he was standing beside the Dark Lord turned to watch for the Order. They were safe to assume that anyone standing calmly beside the Dark Lord wasn't going to attack them.

"He was waiting for you to arrive, dear Dark Lord. He hides in the shadows and waits whilst his little lion cowers in fear."

Many of the Death Eaters couldn't help but laugh at that. Dumbledore wasn't even going to protect the Boy-Who-Lived. It was rather humiliating for Chris to be standing there right now.

Voldemort smirked. Everything was going according to plan. With some of those loyal to the Light dead, he could even say things were better than he had imagined even if they were only children. Yet there was one thing he couldn't get over and that was the constant staring by Chris. His eyes were glued to Ariel's figure and the Dark Lord didn't approve.

Ariel heard Voldemort snarl and carefully placed his hand upon the man's arm to gain his attention. It wouldn't do for the man to go and kill the saviour just yet. He didn't want his own plans for the boy to be destroyed especially when he was having so much fun.

"_Tom, you are the only one in my eyes worthy of my attention and devotion. He is nothing more than a toy to be batted around for my amusement. You are the one that has caught me and you will keep me."_ Ariel hissed.

Voldemort stared into Ariel's emerald eyes and couldn't help but believe he had seen them somewhere before. The jewel-like emeralds sparkled at him hinting at some deep secret that he'd never noticed before. Whatever it was it would have to wait as the sounds took effect.

The sensual tones of Parseltongue calmed Voldemort. He knew that only they would be able to speak to each other in such a way. It was only them that had this connection. Feeling safe, knowing that Ariel would only ever be his, Voldemort turned smugly back to Chris. No one would stand between them but it didn't stop the staring.

"Well Dumbledore… to abandon your precious little lion… what could you possibly have in mind…" Voldemort spoke.

They needed him out in the open. If he were to come out they could easily see what would happen. They could plan swiftly for either an escape or a battle. And just as they wanted, the Light began stepping into the room.

Everyone had their wands drawn and prepared for battle. No one was taking any risks with this, everyone except Ariel. He stood there calmly taking in everyone present and getting a feel for them. Really it would be too simple to mess with half of these imbeciles. Yet that wouldn't provide much game for the rest of the Death Eaters. Besides he already had one lion to play with. Another would just end up eating the first.

"Tom, it is a pleasure to see you." Dumbledore opened. "You have hidden yourself away for quite some time now."

Voldemort merely sneered. Of course he'd been in hiding for quite some time. There was no way that he was going to reveal himself to Dumbledore and start a war without Ariel by his side. That would just have been rather silly. He'd chosen to focus on Ariel and that was the end of that. Dumbledore took second fiddle.

"I wish I could say the same for you Albus."

Dumbledore ignored the slight and continued.

"Tom you should leave here while no one is hurt."

Ariel couldn't help but snort. That was hilarious. The old man didn't know that students of his were dead in the corridors throughout the Ministry. What had he been doing this entire time? Ariel informed the Dark Lord of such through Parseltongue.

"I do believe quite a few of your students are already dead Dumbledore. My Death Eaters wiped them out easily. After all, that is what one gets for sending a child to do an adults job." Voldemort taunted. "You should have realized Dumbledore; I never leave without causing chaos."

Dumbledore frowned and glanced around as did the others within the Light. They were well aware of the fact that Chris had left with a group of students the fact that they group wasn't altogether hadn't fazed them. The children had all been relatively smart and quick on their feet. The Order had assumed that they were capable of taking care of themselves. Obviously they were way off base with this.

Then something else caught his attention. There was a young man standing by the Dark Lord. He was short. That was the first thing he noticed and dressed impeccably. Yet something about him was familiar. Dumbledore couldn't place it but he felt as if he'd met this young man somewhere before. He certainly wasn't likely to have forgotten either. The man before him had the greenest eyes he'd ever seen with long hair as black as ink. He was rather petit and had an air about him that screamed of the calm before the storm. He was unlike anyone he'd ever met before.

"Young man, who are you and what are you doing by the Dark Lord's side?" Dumbledore asked outright.

Many of those gathered including Death Eaters turned towards him for the answer. Ariel smirked. He'd been waiting so patiently for this moment for a long time. He wasn't about to ruin everything now that he was finally free.

"Ariel Ashling…"

It was whispered by Chris causing the Dark Lord to growl once again. Ariel didn't need to place a hand on him this time however as the Dark Lord wrapped his arms around Ariel's waist. It was possessive and entirely to throw Chris into panic and rage since Ariel had been playing with him. Ariel couldn't help but think a jealous Dark Lord was rather attractive.

"Your saviour has it correct." Ariel confirmed. "My name is Ariel Ashling and there are many things most don't know about me."

The vagueness of it all was rather astounding. No one dared to be so vague towards Dumbledore in their life. Even Voldemort was rather straightforward or ignored him completely. Ariel was playing games with him. No one played games with the great Albus Dumbledore.

"I repeat my question, why are you with the Dark Lord?" Dumbledore growled.

He hadn't come all of this way simply to lose some of his students and not gain any answers.

"The Dark Lord found me first. That is why I am on his side."

Confusion swept across everyone. It was only the Dark Lord that knew everything there was to know about this situation and even then that was only a small portion of it all. No one had a hope of understanding why Ariel did what he did. That would take a lengthy explanation and time which he couldn't care to sit for.

"What do you mean?" one of the Order members asked.

Ariel smirked.

"I gave both sides an equal chance to locate me. I set dreams to both the Dark Lord and your saviour. It is not my fault that the Dark Lord figured everything out first and managed to come all of this way to free me whilst your saviour couldn't even figure out who I was without aid. Even then he still searched for me. The Dark Lord won so I am his."

"You like playing mind games with people."

James Potter was the one to figure out what he was speaking about. It only made it that much harder to keep himself in control. If he blew it now there would be no turning back and no more games. So with a smile Ariel answered,

"That I do."

Dumbledore frowned at Ariel. Why was it that he had chosen Chris and not himself? After all Dumbledore was the one that was leading the Light against the Dark. It didn't make sense.

"This is not a game, child. You shouldn't choose a side by using such tricks."

It was his attempt at swaying Ariel's decision but he wasn't going to be swayed that easily. There was just far too much in his past that tied to the Light for him to even think about re-joining that side. The Dark was where he belonged and nothing was going to change that decision.

"You don't understand. You won't understand until it is slapped into your face." Ariel spoke. "The Ministry are just as bad as you. Unspeakables believe they have the right to play God with whatever is brought deep into this Ministry. Children are turned into weapons just to see if it can be done. It is not a life one desires to live not even if there is nothing else left for them."

His eyes were like poison spilling into the bloodstream. They were dark and spoke of something so terrible that many couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors. Whatever the Ministry had put him through it would haunt the child for the remainder of his life. Dumbledore felt sickened that Fudge had ever approved of such a thing.

"Yet it matters little now. The Dark Lord has me and he won't treat me in the same way you or your Ministry would."

Dumbledore's mind scrambled into gear. This child had linked the Order to the Ministry somehow. It should have been impossible. Though they had the same policies on certain topics only Dumbledore knew that Fudge was silently backing them and handing over money for what they needed. Those official documents that kept all this information was locked deep within the Ministry under Fudge's personal guard. No one should have been able to know that especially this child.

"Child, the Dark Lord is every bit as evil as-"

That was when war broke out. The Dark immediately began denying this while the Light went into full support of Dumbledore. Spells began to fly. Voldemort moved before Ariel to protect him whilst a few of the Order attempted to get closer to him. Chris was immediately ushered out of another exit. The Light wouldn't risk there saviour in this battle not that it would have done them any good. Ariel watched Chris leave and realized that Chris' eyes never left his form. It was highly amusing.

As a Killing Curse came close to the Dark Lord, Ariel narrowed his eyes and focused his attention towards the one that had shot it at them, James Potter. There was fierceness in his eyes that revealed how much he was ready to fight for his life should Voldemort accept the challenge given to him. The Dark Lord however didn't bother moving forward to accept. He ignored Potter as if his worth was nothing more than a bug and watched the others as they attempted to shoot curses in their direction.

"Enough I grow tired of all of this. I want to see the world." Ariel spoke silencing the room. "For introductions, my name is Ariel Ashling and I'm an Illusionist. You are the Order of the Phoenix and I know all for your transgressions. I have chosen my side like you've done and now I believe we should take our leave."

Fudge and quite a few Aurors entered just as Ariel started speaking and paled. Hearing of a disturbance within the Ministry, he'd immediately gone to investigate. He certainly hadn't expected this scene when he'd entered. Of course, he'd known that the child had been sealed away but the Unspeakables had reassured him that none would ever be able to get to him and that he wouldn't be able to leave of his own free will. Ariel Ashlings' appearance here said otherwise.

The moment Ariel ceased speaking everyone from the Order of the Phoenix started screaming. Death Eaters moved away from the fools as they began frantically casting spells at the ground and at each other. It was like they were seeing something that wasn't even there and that had many of them nervous. If Ariel could do that without even moving and without a wand what was he capable of truly?

Yet he had said he supported the Dark Lord. Truly, they had nothing to worry about then. Their Lord wouldn't allow them to be played with by Ariel in that way unless he was displeased. Nothing would stop them from doing their very best now.

"I believe it is time to leave." Voldemort ordered.

Eagerly, the Death Eaters apparated away. Voldemort wrapped an arm around Ariel and drew him close for the first time ever and breathed in. He wasn't ever going to allow Ariel to leave him. Not now, not ever…

"Now, Ariel, you shall be free."

And with that they left the Order scrambling in their illusions.

x-x-x-x-x

The Order was exhausted. Being trapped within an illusion like that wasn't something they wanted a repeat of. It had been pure torture. They'd been witness to thousands of giant spiders crawling over their form. Truly, it was a small matter that they could have easily dealt with but something had amped their fear and instead turned the simple matter into a disaster. There was only one good thing about what had occurred that day and it was the information they had gathered, not only on the Dark Lord but also on Ariel Ashling.

In comparison, they had lost much. The deaths of several of Hogwarts students were rather steep. Then there was the fact that many of the Order members were either grieving from the loss or were terrified of the smallest spider. It definitely wasn't good timing for any of this.

Sighing, Dumbledore opened the meeting.

"Who was that… child with the You-Know-Who?" Tonks asked uneasily.

"Only the Minister had answers for that and he was rather speechless himself." Dumbledore commented.

Fudge hadn't been much help to begin with but when he realized that the Order were more than likely going to hunt him down with the Dark Lord he'd jumped to give them information.

"Legally we don't have any confirmed name. He said his name was Ariel Ashling however that is merely the name the Unspeakables granted him during their experimentation."

At that word many people gasped. To experiment on any child was rather heinous. How could their own Ministry allow something like that to happen to a child?

"From what Minister Fudge explained, Ariel was a child given up to the Ministry after the war."

At this many people glared at the Potter's. They had done just the same to their own son but no one was going to name them as doing anything wrong as long as they had the Boy-Who-Lived.

"There were a group of children under the Ministries care at that time and no one had any idea of what to do with them. Fudge assigned them all over to the Unspeakables to do whatever they wished with the children. Some of them were thrown into the Veil in the Death Room. Others were kept for experimentation yet Ariel was the only one to survive the treatments due to his young age."

Molly and Lily couldn't help the tears at that. It was sad to hear that someone so young and pure could be experimented on and turn into something as cruel as he had been all because his parents had abandoned him. It certainly gave Lily a lot to think about. Guilt was slowly eating away at her.

"It was not dictated what they were attempting to achieve by creating Ariel but we can assume that he was meant to be a weapon used against the Ministry's foes. However Ariel was meant to be in a deep sleep after he killed all the Unspeakables who were working on him. It is my belief that Ariel's so strong that he managed to enter the minds of others and attempts to sway them towards the Ministry and his location in an escape attempt. None of them worked until Voldemort."

Molly gasped. "That was the reason why Ariel chose the You-Know-Who's side. He said that You-Know-Who had rescued him so he chose him as his side."

The Order nodded, remembering Ariels' own words. It was rather sad that a child had to result to that to get away from everything and then not even attempt to search for other options. Then there was the question of why Chris hadn't been strong enough to determine this as well.

"Why couldn't Chris manage to reach Ariel? He'd had the dreams as well."

Dumbledore frowned. That was something he wanted to know as well. Chris should have been stronger than Voldemort. It was written in the prophecy after all, unless…

"The Prophecy has been fulfilled."

James and Lily were the first to react.

"How can that be?"

"Chris is the saviour!"

Dumbledore sighed. Explaining this certainly wouldn't be any fun. They had after all become rather big-headed through Chris' fame.

"I never said that Chris wasn't the saviour, Lily. Chris defeated the Dark Lord when he was just a child. The Prophecy never mentioned anything about Chris actually having to kill the man for the prophecy to take effect. We haven't known all of this time that it was fulfilled because no one had been bothered to search for it and see whether this was true."

It was a rather huge hit to them yet again.

"So you mean to tell me that Chris defeated You-Know-Who when he was a child and now can't possibly do so again." Lily confirmed.

That was the gist of it. The prophecy only mentioned that he would be defeated not that he would be killed definitely. Obviously the prophecy only foretold that one event and everything else was up to them and their own decisions. The Order truly didn't have a saviour they could lean on. Everything they did was up to them.

"We will have to make certain decisions regarding this news." Dumbledore started. "Chris won't be able to go up against the Dark Lord now that this has come to light-"

"No, I'll do it."

That had been the first time Chris had spoken since seeing Ariel. He'd been shocked that Ariel had been suddenly put before him, even more so that he stood beside and allied with the Dark Lord. Ariel was meant to be his and for Voldemort to take that away from him wasn't acceptable. He would do anything to get Ariel away from that man even if it meant risking his life.

Everyone stared at Chris. Many were in tears believing that Chris was sacrificing himself because he thought that was what was best. They couldn't have truly known what he was thinking at all.

Dumbledore nodded. "Very well, however we shall have to set up a roster and train you. The Order won't allow you to go into this unprepared. They will also be by your side when the Final Battle arrives. You shall be ready for this. You shall have time to get everything you need perfected."

The Order instantly agreed and began setting up the time tables. Yet Chris remained silent, deep in thought. Ariel would be his. He wouldn't allow the Dark to triumph where the Light should reign supreme. It wasn't right and Chris would definitely fix the balance. After all, he was the saviour and he would get what was rightfully his.

* * *

**My creepy characters are only becoming more creepy. It honestly worries me. But oh well, they make for excellent story plots. Thank you all for reviewing.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	13. Chapter 13

**~Chapter Thirteen~**

The instant they appeared in the Dark Lord's headquarters Ariel knew that Tom wasn't pleased. The air radiated with tension and energy that it was almost overwhelming. The arm that held him tightened significantly before releasing him, the angry energy moving away with him. All the warning signs were present but Ariel just disregarded them unlike that of the man's followers.

The Death Eaters instantly made sure to back away as far as they could manage without looking desperate. They weren't going to get in between those two when either was upset at the other. One was eager to punish and the other had no limit as to what he could do. They knew what it was like when the Dark Lord became angered. There was certainly no rush to have both in a temper. It was a pity that this had occurred. Everything had been going well until then.

They had entered the Ministry of Magic, attacked the Order members, killed several of them and all without the Minister suspecting anything until it was too late. It had been brilliant and gone exactly as planned. This however was a down side that none of them had foreseen or could even begin to explain. The pair had looked utterly delighted to finally be together. What had changed?

Ariel watched as the Dark Lord paced back and forth before his minions. It truly was a horrifying sight however Ariel had been through worse and wasn't in the least terrified. Tom would need to do a lot worse to terrify him.

"Are you angry with me?" Ariel questioned.

Many of the Dark Lord's followers shrunk back as the man turned to face Ariel. Pure rage shone in his eyes and it wasn't exactly a calming thought. When those eyes turned in your direction it was usually followed by the Cruciatus Curse.

"You are angered over the fact that I kept contact with Christopher Potter."

It was a statement that hit home. Voldemort snarled, moving closer to Ariel.

"You shouldn't need that child not when you have me. Being in contact with him doesn't have a point. You knew that I would be the one to free you yet you still gave that brat the same opportunity as I. Was it that you didn't trust when I said I could free you? Do you not have faith in my power? Which is it Ariel?"

The Death Eater shivered, amazed that Ariel stood his ground unflinchingly. Not many had that kind of backbone. Even their Lord's greatest of foes trembled when he shouted at them. It was hard not to. They commended Ariel for it.

Ariel watched Tom. He knew that this was the Dark Lord's jealousy rearing its head. Having all of those Horcruxes wasn't a very wise choice when one wanted to feel emotions. Well… in Tom's case he could feel emotions but he couldn't quite understand what those emotions were or why he was feeling them. Jealousy of course wasn't something that he would be accustomed to feeling. Ariel would merely have to explain it later when they were alone for now he would need to reassure the Dark Lord that nothing would come of his time with Chris Potter.

"It was a necessity at the time."

Tom snarled once again. That wasn't the answer he had been looking for. He had been hoping that Ariel would tell him that he was doing it for fun that playing with that Potter brat had been nothing more than a diversion from his already harsh living conditions. But he hadn't. Instead he had gone right ahead and labelled it a necessity.

"It is not a necessity now!" he replied.

Ariel could barely restrain from rolling his eyes. Of course it wasn't a current necessity. He would have thought that the Dark Lord would have been able to ascertain that for himself. However he hadn't been able to which left it to Ariel to explain it for him.

"Of course not, however you must admit that knowing Christopher Potter has a weakness is one of your greatest strengths."

Voldemort gave him a considering look. Ariel knew that he had finally caught the Dark Lord's attention with this information. He'd finally be able to sway the Dark Lord's decision on this matter. Chris Potter wasn't something he was going to willingly let go of. He was going to settle his score with that boy if it were the last thing he did. After all he was the only thing standing in his way of his revenge and that was something he wanted more than anything.

"He froze," Ariel explained, "when he saw I was with you. Potter couldn't believe that someone such as I would ever side with you. Regardless of what anyone tells him he will always believe the best in me. I need him to believe that and if that means remaining close to him than I shall do it."

Tom cast him a shrewd look. He knew that Ariel was planning something to do with Potter. Why this was he couldn't' quite understand. After all, the Potter's hadn't done anything to him. Ariel had been trapped for most of his life with no contact. Yet Ariel still desire to have this revenge.

"What do you plan to do with him?"

"I have several ideas of how I'm going to destroy him, dear Dark Lord."

Ariel walked to stand before the Dark Lord. This was important to him. He needed Tom to understand that.

"You already know and accepted that I would continue to have access to Christopher once I was free. I know you are displeased with this however I'm asking you to allow me the same trust you have within your Inner Circle. Accessing Christopher's thoughts and dreams are imperative to several of my plans."

The Dark Lord snarled turning away from Ariel. This wasn't what he wanted! He had believed that Ariel would finish Potter and then they could both go after Dumbledore. Nothing was happening as he desired it especially where Ariel was concerned. His ideas and plans were changing and everything was centred on Ariel. Not understanding anything, the Dark Lord began to pace back and forth in frustration.

Frustration set in on Ariel as well. There were only so many times one could explain things before they gave up. Attempting to explain everything to a restless and stubborn Dark Lord made that even more impossible. Turning away from the Dark Lord, Ariel turned to one of the first people he had met since his incarceration.

"Severus, how did everything handle on your end?" Ariel questioned.

Severus, not expecting the teen to speak with him, visibly started. No one really had the pleasure to knowing Ariel Ashling. Apart from the brief moment they had met in real life when he had saved Ariel, Severus had believed that he would never be greeted by the teen again. It certainly was a shock that he was being addressed now. Being in the possession of the Dark Lord didn't grant people privileges, it kept them from receiving them. Ariel however had enough backbone to stand up for what he believed and ignore that rule altogether.

Ariel would take what he wanted regardless of the Dark Lord's desires. If Ariel wanted to speak with Severus then he would and the Dark Lord wouldn't be angered with Ariel at this. He would however become angered if he learnt Severus didn't answer him.

"After you sent me away I arrived back at Hogwarts just as Dumbledore was leaving to handle the situation at the Ministry." Severus started. "He instructed that I was to remain at Hogwarts and not interfere which gave me great relief as it didn't contrast with the Dark Lord's orders. I was further instructed to keep an eye on all students since Umbridge was missing and he was unsure of whether something would occur there."

Ariel could tell that he was pleased at this. Severus was a Potions Master first and foremost. He didn't enjoy being a spy and he definitely didn't enjoy being on the battle field. When the time came Ariel would make certain that he would never have to do any of that again should he choose the correct side.

"Many of the other professors were worried about the students. Umbridge had been terrorizing them all and they couldn't do anything about it because of their own precarious positions with the woman. It never really occurred to them that since she was gone they could take everything back and force her out."

Lucius nearby snorted but didn't interrupt Severus any further. Ariel motioned for him to continue.

"Later that evening, the centaurs walked up to the castle with Umbridge unconscious. One of the students that had followed Potter around like a lost puppy managed to convince Umbridge that there was a weapon in the forest. Umbridge the fool believed that his was what was being kept from the Ministry and followed. Of course she insulted centaurs when they came across the group and they saw fit to teach her a lesson of their own. When she woke the insipid woman was rather jumpy. Any slight sound set her off. We sent her to St Mungo's and she's been there ever since. The Order knows none of this and I haven't seen them since."

Ariel laughed. Of course he had heard Severus rant on this woman many times when they had met in dreams, a rather toad-like woman who wore nothing but pink and cared for nothing but the Ministry and kittens. Those types of people were good for nothing but lackeys down the bottom of the ladder.

The surrounding Death Eaters also enjoyed good laugh knowing firsthand what that woman was like. Obviously not many that worked with her enjoyed her company. Ariel however found it amusing to note the amount of Death Eaters that were laughing purely because he laughed. It made sense to suck up to him because of his position however he cared little for it. Nothing they gave him would grant them any leeway into entering the Inner Circle. He would give suggestions to the Dark Lord that deserved it for their work and nothing more.

This sound jerked the Dark Lord from within his mind. Tom moved towards Ariel barely focusing on his surrounding minions. Death Eaters settled as they realized the focus of their master was once again on the teen before them. Watching the relationship between the two gave them an insight into what might one day be. It gave them a chance to prepare for that.

Ariel felt Tom wrap his arms around him. The gesture itself would have been called loving but the strength behind it was only called possessive something no one but he could see. Tom was still feeling threatened and until then the gesture would remain as possessive as always.

"You belong to me. I am the one who freed you. I woke you and aided in your escape. There is no other place that you belong but by my side. If you even think it, I will make sure you can never be far from me."

The threat was certainly there. Ariel didn't doubt that if he ever thought of leaving the Dark Lord would make certain of it. Tom wasn't going to chance the best thing in his life leaving. However Ariel had no desire to leave Tom's side. There was something that Ariel had yet to speak with Tom about however it would prevent him from leaving after they spent more time together. He wouldn't ever be able to turn away from the Dark Lord and soon he would know it.

"I belong to you, of that there is no doubt, my dear Dark Lord." Ariel reassured him.

This satisfied Voldemort in a way that nothing else could. He would have Ariel by his side. That was where the teen belonged. Instead of continuing their current conversation, Voldemort turned towards his patiently waiting Death Eaters. They weren't going to be present when he made sure that Ariel would never leave him. No they would be home before then.

"My loyal Death Eaters now is the time to celebrate. This is the start of something grand, something that has been fifteen years in the making. The Second War is upon us, it has begun and we will defeat the Light."

The roar of cheering was all anyone could hear. It echoed around the enclosed space like a bullet rebounding off the inside of a pipe. The sound was loud and Ariel knew that there was going to be a party like mosh pit as soon as they started to celebrate the beginning of the Light's end.

The 'party' was likely to remain within the house until they started to trickle out and take their celebrations elsewhere. However Voldemort had a different type of celebration that he wanted to partake in and that would only include Ariel.

Steering Ariel towards the door, Voldemort made sure not to give eye contact to any of his followers. The sooner he left the sooner he would be able to claim Ariel in every possible way.

Ariel noted the members that were around the hall. There were many people and the further back they got the easier it was to see that there was a system to the standing. The Inner Circle members were all at the front ready to bow down to the Lord's whims at any time. Then there were the Outer Circle members all eager to please the Dark Lord and be promoted into the higher ranks. That was followed by the few allies that chose to turn up.

The allies were placed at the back because they wouldn't be forced to bow down. They all had their own rulers. They at least were seen as partial equals to the Dark Lord's power. However when Ariel glimpsed amber eyes, he knew that everything was about to change. The Dark Lord wouldn't be pleased to discover this in such a way but it was going to happen whether Ariel liked it or not and there was nothing he could do about it.

The werewolf pounced. No one could have done anything about it. One second everything was cheery and the next there was a growl and a savage ripping as the werewolf transformed. There wasn't time for movement as it bounded forward from its place beside Fenrir Greyback. In the seconds that followed nothing could have been explained.

Voldemort heard the growl before he saw the werewolf. He felt the werewolf before he saw it. It collided with his side ripping Ariel away. The loss of Ariel beside him nearly sent him into a rage however he knew that one wrong movement from him and his soon to be consort would be nothing more.

Many of the Death Eaters scattered in fear. A werewolf turning without the moon was dangerous. The only one documented was Fenrir and many remained as far from him as possible. Becoming a werewolf was something that was seen in such a negative light that even those that supported the Dark wouldn't abide by it.

Fenrir was horrified. This alliance was meant to bring them closer together and ascertain that the wolves would be able to live normally in certain areas. This however could put a huge dent into their plans. He never should have bought his cub with him on this day.

Ariel knew it was coming. He felt the wolf before he saw him. His arm was body away from the Dark Lord and practically thrown against the wall beside the door. Logically he knew that no one would help him, he didn't ask for aid either. Too many feared the wolf to do anything against them. Ariel however knew that this wolf wouldn't harm him. This wolf wouldn't be able to harm him.

"It has been a long time since I've seen you Remus Lupin." Ariel muttered.

Moony growled at him. It wasn't a warning growl, the wolf and the human side of Remus were both pleased that he was safe. He had been found and that was what mattered the most. However the shock had been too much for Remus and Moony had taken over instead to compensate.

Everything had gone silent. No one dared to move as Ariel spoke to the wolf currently pinning him to the stone wall. Voldemort started forward but there wasn't anything he could do. Ariel shook his head at Tom knowing what the man must be thinking.

"I have waited for this moment for a long time Moony so could you please release Remus?"

Everyone held their breath as Ariel spoke to the werewolf as if he had his mind. Ariel was treating the wolf as if it had a personality of its own and no one had ever dared to do that before. Many just shrunk in fear when faced with one. It was yet another thing that made Ariel special in the eyes of their Lord.

Before them, the werewolf reverted to his human form leaving nothing but a shaking man in its place. Remus Lupin was left to lean heavily against Ariel and the wall. He refused to release Ariel and yet knew that if he didn't do so soon he would be punished by the Dark Lord for holding something that was his. However Ariel was much more than that and until Moony was certain that Ariel wouldn't disappear from his life once again then he wouldn't move far from the teen.

"Cub…" he whispered.

"Yes Moony?"

"Cub… protect cub…"

Ariel sighed. Remus may have been awake but he was far from coherent and responsive. It wasn't really the best that could have occurred but there was nothing for it. Moony wouldn't leave him for a while yet.

"What is happening?"

It was Lucius that spoke. The Death Eaters weren't certain as to what was happening however they weren't concerned enough about his safety to approach. It was rather pathetic but something Ariel would need to bring up with Tom later.

"Why is he calling Ariel 'cub'?"

"Has Lupin ever met Ariel before?" Severus sneered.

It was a valid question and one that got them all thinking. If Lupin had never met Ariel before, why had he reacted in such a way? It shouldn't have been possible and yet the evidence was before them. Before Ariel had been imprisoned he had met with Remus Lupin and the two had become quite close. Voldemort nodded to know why that was.

"Ariel what is happening?"

Ariel had taken to carding his hand through Remus' hair. However he didn't stop as Tom asked him a question. If he stopped Remus would panic and then Moony would return. Moony returning would just be bad for all involved.

"Remus is just reacting to me that's all."

The Dark Lord growled. That was definitely not the answer he was wanting. He needed to know all the details that had led to this meeting and the reaction. Remus Lupin would not keep Ariel's attention, not today.

"What I meant is that he is reacting to who he knows me as." Ariel corrected.

That honestly didn't help them at all. Ariel may have been speaking but the words weren't being understood. It was rather frustrating for everyone present.

"And that would be?" Voldemort questioned.

"He is reacting to me because he knows me better as Harry Potter."

The room fell into utter silence. No one really knew what to say to that. Harry Potter was Ariel Ashling? This entire time they'd been fighting to free Harry Potter and not even realized it?

Voldemort was shocked. He'd seen the resemblance but hadn't connected the two together. He'd just assumed that Ariel's appearance was created in the image of Christopher Potter. After all he was meant to be the Boy-Who-Lived; any weapon that had a similar appearance to him would be highly trusted by anyone.

Severus' jaw was nearly on the floor. There was no doubting this fact though the full story hadn't been told yet. If Remus Lupin and the wolf within had decided and accepted that Ariel Ashling was Harry Potter than that could be the only truth. There was nothing else for it.

He felt better knowing this. It gave him someone to fight for since Lily had gone and turned into someone that he didn't recognize. All the fame had gone to her head along with that of her son and husband. Harry however was another matter entirely. If he planned on aiding the Dark Lord as he said as Ariel Ashling then Severus knew that he would remain by his side. Just because he had a debt towards a Potter didn't mean he had to allow it to go towards James or Christopher. No, Harry was where his allegiance lay.

Many of the other Death Eaters didn't know what to think. Having a Potter with them would normally be seen as a bad thing. The Dark Lord however was smiling. He was happy that Harry Potter was here with them. It was just plain confusing.

Suddenly Remus stood and Ariel smiled. Remus looked down at him with clear eyes. There was so much love in that gaze Ariel nearly melted and jumped into a hug. However he wanted to keep his calm and any respect he had gained from the Death Eaters. Later when they had a longer chance to speak they would get together and reminisce. Until then they both understood what needed to be done.

"Should we begin with the celebrations then?"

The cheering once again echoed around the room.

* * *

**Mwahaha... I feel evil to leave it there. Oh well. Thank you for the reviews.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	14. Chapter 14

**~Chapter Fourteen~**

Ariel stood in a small antechamber listening to the sounds of celebration and watching the sun rise. He'd always imagined how it would appear yet nothing in his mind compared to the sight before him. The dark of night faded into warm tones before the sun even crossed the horizon and once it had the colours that could be likened to a flame burst forth. The mere warmth that resonated from the sun this early alone was enough for Ariel to feel it upon his flesh.

Logically he knew that if he remained standing in the sunlight for any length of time he would burn easily. Not having the sun to warm his skin for so long did have a few drawbacks. However he was willing to overlook them. Waiting for Tom had been well worth the price that he was likely to pay.

Well except for the looks he was currently receiving. Remus hadn't let go of him yet and it was beginning to really frustrate Tom. He didn't blame Remus though. Remus had after all been searching for him a lot longer than Tom or anyone else. Remus had been searching for him before there was even a reason for others to seek him out. Ariel wasn't about to let Remus believe that it was all for nothing. No, Tom would simply have to wait til Remus was settled.

"Are you really who you claim to be?"

It was Severus that had asked; Ariel registered. For an instance Ariel thought about not answering his question. Yet there was something in his tone… hope… that had Ariel answering anyway.

"Do you doubt Remus or I?" Ariel retorted. "Yes, I was once Harry Potter though with everything I have lived through I rather doubt that the name would fit me properly anymore. For all purposes I am a different person emotionally and mentally."

Severus settled into his chair not as tense as before but quite uncomfortable. All other Inner Circle members were present but had yet to say anything. Ariel believed that they weren't really game to speak a word against him whilst the Dark Lord was in the room. As it was Tom wasn't speaking at all. The only other person in the room was Fenrir and that was only because Remus refused to leave his side. Fenrir was pacing obviously irate that he couldn't do anything to help.

"What happened to you?

The voice was barely a whisper but it was the first thing Remus has spoken since his transformation. Ariel had known that seeing him was a shock but he wasn't entirely certain Remus was prepared to hear any of that. Could his uncle currently handle something like that without going further into shock? Ariel rather doubted it and Remus health wouldn't be put at risk because of him.

"Remus, I think you should get some rest. We have all been through much this past night and I believe that this conversation is best held when we have all been rested or at least we should be partaking in the celebrations. This should be a joyous occasion, do you not agree?"

Regardless of his words, Remus refused to release him and Fenrir continued his pacing. A few of the other Inner Circle Death Eaters mumbled their agreement to the statement however and moved back out into the ballroom. Some chose to mingle, others left the room entirely. Many merely desired to move away from the Dark Lord who still appeared in a rather foul mood.

Ariel sighed quietly but managed to manoeuver Remus out of the room and to a small secluded area where he could think properly. The party had begun around midnight and yet these creatures of the dark were still going strong this early in the morning. He didn't understand how they managed it. Ariel was practically dead on his feet yet he couldn't show any of this in case Tom's Death Eaters believed he was weak. Yet fatigue was always difficult to combat at any time of the day.

It was only after he had peeled his eyes open once again that he realised Fenrir and Severus had followed them to the secluded area of the ballroom. Ariel cringed a little uncertainly. Human contact wasn't exactly something he excelled at. In the heat of the moment he could handle anything but now he was calming, tired of the day's adventure and he didn't quite understand what he should do.

Fenrir smelt the unease coming from Ariel but didn't comment. Instead he decided that making the child more comfortable would be the better solution especially with Remus attached to him still. After all if this child meant something to Remus he meant something to Fenrir as well.

"You are quite extraordinary child."

Ariel glanced at his direction so Fenrir continued, taking this as a good sign that the child hadn't closed off.

"It is not every day that one person can ensnare the attention of the Dark Lord and then play him like you have done. Yet even though he is aware of this he has yet to punish you. The hold you have on the Dark Lord is simply phenomenal and your brilliance to keep on his good side is yet another point towards you."

Ariel wasn't entirely certain what Fenrir was attempting to do here but he nodded nonetheless.

"Thank you. That is certainly high praise from you."

Fenrir smirked inwardly. His plan was working. Now he just needed a safe topic to start conversing about. The Dark Lord probably wasn't a safe topic but it was the only topic relevant at present.

"You deserve it though child. I believe that with you not only do the Dark have a real chance of winning this but they also have a way to keep the Dark Lord from becoming too lost in the madness that is killing."

"Madness?" Ariel questioned.

Fenrir gestured to the Death Eaters.

"When one kills for the first time there is always remorse that comes with the action whether that is merely from that act of taking a life or from doing the act at all. The more you kill the less the remorse affects you until you no longer feel remorse but a twisted sense of thrill. It becomes a madness that pollutes the mind of men. For Werewolves it is different because we have our own madness. But for humans it is lethal and there is no hope to reverse something that harms the mind so terribly much."

"It is highly known within the Inner Circle to be true." Severus included.

Ariel frowned. How had he not known about this? Being deep within the Ministry left him with access to all files that went through any department. This madness would have been brought up eventually even if it was just in passing. Anything to aid the Ministry against the Death Eaters or the Order was well documented yet this had been missed. It must either have been well known and irrelevant or simply well hidden within the ranks of the Dark Lord.

"Who is most affected by this amongst the group?" he finally questioned.

Fenrir didn't bother to answer seeing as he didn't know or care about most of the Dark Lord's followers. It was left to Severus to name them though he was hopeful that Ariel wouldn't act on this. It wouldn't do for any of the crazed followers to hear that he'd actually named them as such. He would be hunted ruthlessly in the shadows.

"Bellatrix Lestrange is the most notable. She no longer has any morals when it comes to torturing and killing people. Rudolphus though appearing calm is nearly as crazed as his wife. Rabastan I'm not entirely certain about but he could possess at least some madness. Quite a few others are bordering but that is only because they do jobs other than torturing muggles for the Dark Lord. Lucius and I are probably the only ones you could count as sane within the Inner Circle. Then there are some in the Outer Circle that are beginning to feel the symptoms as well though they would be difficult to spot."

That wasn't a very pleasing thought. If most of the Inner Circle and a decent number of the Outer Circle all had this madness then it would take quite some time to stamp it out if that was at all possible. Ariel would need a miracle for that to happen; a miracle and belief in this miracle.

"So the Dark Lord has lost this madness?" he questioned. They had hinted at it after all.

Severus however answered with a negative. "No, I believe that the madness remains however it will fade the longer you are around. Today is evidence of that. His usual reaction to anger is to torture the person causing it. You are either an exception to the rule or the cure. There are moments when he has control over his emotions, say during meetings with the Inner Circle, but other than that if someone does something he dislikes it usually means torture for the person."

A small sigh escaped Ariel's lips. That was cause for relief. If the Dark Lord wasn't spared the madness they would likely have problems further down the road after they won. Once the populace came to realize that the Dark Lord was sane and knew what he was doing with their lives everything was likely to run smoothly. Til then they had a lot of work to do.

"Does that mean that the followers will also feel the madness fade?"

"It is hard to tell. If the Dark Mark is connected to the Dark Lord then perhaps it will work. There is no certain way to tell however."

Severus wasn't pleased that he couldn't give Ariel what he needed. In freeing Ariel in a sense he had freed himself from Dumbledore and Potter Senior. Yet he had nothing to repay Ariel with except gratitude which in his mind wasn't enough. For now though it would have to do. He would just wait until Ariel enquired after something.

"Thank you for informing me of this. I'm certain it will help in the long run."

Ariel shifted as Remus began to come around. He'd been waiting to speak to the man for quite some time and yet he hadn't truly expected the amount of emotion that Remus was overcome with at first seeing him. No one had ever been that pleased to see him. No one had ever accepted him in such a way. It was rather overwhelming especially for someone who had virtually no contact with the outside world his entire life.

Given that everyone knew of his heritage now, Ariel had at first held concern that they wouldn't accept him knowing him as Harry. After all, many of the Order wouldn't accept Ariel but would Harry if given the chance. Remus however hadn't hesitated, easily accepting both. Severus and Fenrir had accepted him as well though the remainder of the Inner Circle hadn't cared one way or another. It was the Dark Lord that now held Ariel's concern. He had yet to speak a word to Ariel.

The Dark Lord was on the other side of the room and he didn't appear to be interested in Ariel's company at present, keeping Lucius by his side instead. It was rather disheartening. Ariel had chosen him for a reason but it would seem like there was too much between them currently to allow a bridge to be built. He was rather doubtful that they would start to have a proper relationship.

"Harry?"

Ariel glanced at Remus and smiled.

"Yes Remus, though I do prefer Ariel."

Remus appeared to go back into himself something which Ariel wouldn't allow to happen yet again. Fenrir was already jumpy with Remus being like this. He didn't need the werewolf to lose control. That he wouldn't be able to contain.

"Remus, I'd enjoy being able to actually speak to you."

The werewolf muttered a little before pulling himself together. It was certainly an odd sight but Ariel smiled in joy. Remus would never be able to scare him in anyway. He'd already seen far too much to be considered normal. His psyche was obviously damaged significantly. He fit right in with this odd group of people.

"I just… can't believe that you are… you are…" Remus stuttered.

"I'm here Remus and I rather doubt I'll be leaving any time soon. You wouldn't allow that to happen."

Ariel knew what he spoke was true. Remus wouldn't allow him to leave or be at any significant distance. It would simply tear him apart. Out of everyone he had spent the most time searching for him and now that he was here, Remus wouldn't permit anyone to take him away. Ariel for that matter wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

"What happened?"

It was a loaded question and one that Remus had asked before. Ariel knew that Remus desperately wanted to learn how Harry had become to be Ariel. Yet it was a story that Ariel wasn't fond of. Though it had to be explained it wasn't going to happen then and there. More appropriate places could be found for that particular discussion not to mention times.

"Now isn't the best time for you to hear that story Remus. We're all exhausted and that only leads to trouble. I will tell you all of the details later in the day when we are more coherent." Ariel managed to explain. "Fenrir, you should take Remus to sleep. I will see him in the morning."

Fenrir gave a glad growl before leading a reluctant Remus out of the ballroom. It was about time Remus managed to get some sleep. It was about time for all of them to rest their eyes.

With the pair of them gone, Ariel turned towards Severus who was watching him intently. There were numerous emotions hidden behind the eyes and they all swirled erratically. Ariel didn't read too much into it. There was a long and shady past between James Potter and Severus Snape. Having Potter's son before him couldn't be an easy thing for him to deal with even if he had gained some of his respect through his actions.

"I don't suppose you would be aware of where I'm meant to be spending my nights?" Ariel eventually questioned.

It wasn't the best question ever but it was fair. He would be spending a long time here and without a room it would be rather difficult to attain any sleep during that time.

"I'm afraid that would be left for the Dark Lord to decide." Severus smirked before turning and walking off.

The man obviously held questions and yet had left him to deal with the Dark Lord. Perfect.

x-x-x-x-x

On the other side of the ballroom things weren't as calm. Lucius was about ready to jump up and run away with the situation as it was. The Dark Lord was far from pleased. Nothing had gone like he planned it or at least that was what Lucius assumed. Yet he wasn't acting on it. Usually when something displeased the Dark Lord he would punish first and ask questions later. This wasn't the case.

The Dark Lord was questioning himself.

It was a solely unique sight to be seen and Lucius had every right to believe that it was because of Ariel. He was the only thing that had altered in the past few days. Everything else remained the same down to the Outer Circle cronies. It was strange. Lucius had to admit that while Ariel or rather Harry was exceedingly interesting he couldn't see the appeal. Perhaps it was because Ariel was practically a child compared to him. Either way Ariel held little physical appeal to him.

What was it that drew the Dark Lord in so?

In the end Lucius decided that asking that question would probably lead him down a path that he shouldn't attempt to go. Instead he watched as his master followed Ariel with his eyes. It appeared as if Fenrir and Severus were engaging him in harmless conversation about the Death Eaters if their gestures were anything to go by. His concern grew for Severus. If he was saying anything that may cause the others to think he was damning them, he would be in trouble. Yet most of the Death Eaters were either drunk or staring longingly at the Dark Lord. He rather doubted that Severus truly had anything to worry about.

Then Fenrir led Remus away. Severus was the only one with Ariel and even that didn't last long. A few words and a devious smirk and he left as well. It was the perfect time for Lucius to push the Dark Lord in the right direction. Normally he would be punished for something as such without cause to speak but if it were directed towards Ariel things would be different.

"My Lord, you should go and see him."

Lucius withheld a nervous swallow as the Dark Lord's gaze rested on him.

"Why do you suggest that?"

"Ariel is alone, my Lord. Now would be the perfect time to speak with him before anyone else was given the same opportunity."

The Dark Lord turned his back on Lucius and walked towards Ariel. Lucius sighed and quickly made his escape. If the Dark Lord returned he would be far from here and in the safety of his own rooms.

Voldemort barely registered as Lucius scrambled away. His entire focus was on Ariel as it had been since it first spotting Ariel in the flesh. There had barely been a moment when Ariel hadn't been in his thoughts. He probably should have been concerned about this but there were moments when one just didn't think about consequences.

When Ariel was before him he stopped. Now that he had Ariel all to himself he couldn't quite get past it to think on anything else. What was he meant to speak to Ariel about? In his dreams it seemed like an ever present and even comforting thought but now… speaking to Ariel couldn't have been more difficult.

"Tom is there something that you need?" Ariel questioned.

Watching him agonize over a simple thing as speaking was rather difficult to process. Ariel didn't like it but his question made his Dark Lord pull himself together with more confidence.

"Ariel perhaps you would like to come with me?"

Ariel smiled. "Where would we be going?"

The smirk he received only heightened his curiosity.

"Come"

x-x-x-x-x

After they had left the ballroom, they'd moved further into the darkening corridors of the manor's bedrooms. Ariel hadn't questioned anything Voldemort had done including the tight hold he had on his waist as he was steered rather forcibly onward. The Dark Lord was merely asserting his own power over Ariel who really didn't mind. He appeared too deep in thought to argue with anyway.

After speaking with Fenrir and Severus he had hoped that they had been incorrect with their assumption. Especially since during their mind talks Tom had always appeared rather level headed. Meeting him in person just wasn't the same. Where had the thoughtful man he'd met in his dreams gone? Instead all he was left with was a man that was bent on keeping him away from everyone else. Was this Tom's true personality? Had he been mistaken in believing that Tom was the one for him?

Upon arriving in a bedroom, Ariel watched as Tom spelled the door to lock. It wouldn't have been difficult to get around however security was something Tom obviously took seriously as the spell was spoken in parseltongue. Then they faced each other for the first time alone since he'd awoken.

"Is this my room Tom?" Ariel broke the silence.

"The room shall be shared between us."

Voldemort stared at the younger man. It almost felt like a dream to have Ariel here. They had always been in Ariel's mind and never in another created location. Now Ariel was in a room that Voldemort controlled. The balance had changed and Voldemort was feeling quite pleased with himself for it.

"What did you desire to speak with me about?"

Ariel was attempting to get Tom to speak but this wasn't something that worked very easily. There was only a short pause this time before Tom spoke and it wasn't something Ariel wanted to hear.

"I will not have you accepting advances from anyone else but me."

Anger flashed in emerald eyes yet he stood his ground. Ariel wouldn't permit Tom to bully him into agreeing with something that he wouldn't enjoy. There was a reason he was doing this after all.

"Am I permitted to continue playing with the little lion?"

Voldemort's eyes narrowed into slits but he gave a tight nod of his head. That was at least something that they had managed to agree on for the time being. Yet Ariel looked almost hesitant in his actions towards the man now and Voldemort didn't like it at all.

Taking a few steps towards Ariel who was leaning against a sofa within the room, he couldn't help but notice as Ariel hid a flinch behind a subtle shift in movement.

"Why do you flinch from me?"

"It's just, you're acting differently and I don't know how to react to it." Ariel stuttered blushing.

He'd never stuttered in his life and now certainly wasn't the most appropriate time to do so. He was so unbelievably tired for a person that had slept most of his life. Thinking was even becoming more difficult. Being awake certainly wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He really needed to sleep again.

Voldemort frowned. He had been acting differently, more aggressively with Ariel than he usually did. However he had always acted in such a manner when surrounded by his minions so he had barely noticed. When meeting Ariel he had dropped the act and been himself. Seeing this side of him must have confused the tired teen a lot.

"I apologize, Ariel. I had not realized that I was acting any differently towards you in particular.

This only caused Ariel confusion. "But you act differently around the others?"

"Indeed."

For once Ariel wished he was back in his slumber. At least there he managed to obtain straight pure truth in answers. Tom's answers weren't very helpful at all. All he had managed to determine was his Dark Lord acted differently to his minions than to him. What was the cause of this, Ariel wasn't certain. Perhaps he acted differently simply because he could and they were all used to how things were run.

"Will you continue this act?"

For the first time, Voldemort doubted his plan. The act had always been necessary to the cause. Yet it was making Ariel question him. How many others had done the same simply because of his act? His followers believed in his cause and didn't care about his madness but how many more could he have gained by simply being himself?

In his youth there had been a time when he'd wanted to be anyone but himself. This wasn't it. He'd grown so much since then or at least he hoped he had. No longer was he a teen desperately trying to find himself. He knew who he was. He knew what his ideals were. He knew who he wanted in his life.

"No, I don't think it is necessary any longer." He agreed.

"What now?" Ariel yawned.

Voldemort smirked. "Now we go to sleep."

Ariel didn't know what was happening until Tom dropped him on the bed. He'd never really thought about how or when Tom would want to be with him. Naturally he'd assumed that it would happen gradually but with this sudden move it left Ariel uncertain once again of Tom's motives.

"When you said sleep you meant…" Ariel questioned.

"Sleep Ariel, you need to rest. Though you have been asleep for a long period of time your body isn't used to the constant movement. You will need time to become accustomed to the change and for you that means more sleeping until you can manage an entire day." Voldemort instructed as he slid beneath the covers.

Ariel followed him and uncertainly laid back. He'd never felt something so comfortable in his life. He shifted attempting to find the best position. In the end it was resting his head against the Dark Lord's chest that gave him peace. Voldemort could only smile at the teen before closing his own eyes.

"Sleep Ariel, we have eternity together, this doesn't need to be rushed."

* * *

**Sorry if I have disappointed you again with the lack of slashy goodness between the two but it simply didn't want to be written in this chatper. It will eventually happen though so don't worry. Thank you for the reviews.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	15. Chapter 15

**~Chapter Fifteen~**

Chris knew he was dreaming. He may have been in the Gryffindor Common Room but he knew he was dreaming. Ariel couldn't possibly have been standing before the fireplace calmly watching the flames lick before him. It was a trick of the mind and he rather didn't want to believe in such a thing. But Ariel was before him, Ariel was present and he wanted that so much more than to acknowledge the dream and wake.

"Ariel…" he breathed.

Emerald eyes focused upon him. After seeing the real Ariel this simply couldn't compare but it was the best he was going to receive what with his allegiance. Ariel had chosen the Dark Lord over him. For what reasons, Chris couldn't understand. He was everything Ariel could ever want. He was even closer in age to him than that murderous snake.

Nothing about this made any sense. How had the Dark Lord even known about Ariel in the first place? Ariel hadn't told him that others were searching as well. He'd never mentioned a word of it. So many questions rolled around his mind but only one seemed to bubble forth.

"Why?" Chris cried.

The word came out as a question wrapped in agony and betrayal. Quite honestly Chris was mortified that the sound had even been muttered from his own lips. He was meant to be a brave Gryffindor but all he could manage to sound like was a frightened cub. This being before him had reduced a Gryffindor to such a state yet he couldn't bring himself to blame Ariel. He just couldn't.

Ariel stared at him emerald eyes holding his own hazel in a trance. He is captivated.

"What are you speaking of little lion?" His voice swam over Chris gently brushing against his ears.

"Why did you join the Dark Lord?" Chris moaned. "I would do anything for you. I could be anything for you! Why didn't you grant me a chance? Why did you permit that serpent to have you?"

Ariel smiled. There was nothing behind it. The smile while genuine wasn't aimed at him. The smile was because of the Dark Lord. Chris had nothing to do with it. Smiles weren't for him. He may have received compliments and flirting but the smiles, he knew now, they belonged to the Dark Lord regardless of who they were aimed at.

"I did grant you a chance little lion." Ariel began to explain. "The Dark Lord was granted access to me before you but you both had an equal chance to provide me what I desired. You failed. The Dark Lord succeeded."

Chris felt his knuckles crack as his hands formed fists. This wasn't heading in the direction he had planned. He'd hoped that Ariel had been led off without all the knowledge. Chris had believed that Ariel hadn't known that there were other ways for this to play out. If he had been fed only information from the Dark Lord, then there was hope that Ariel could be persuaded to switch sides. Of course he could provide that way out if only Ariel would allow him to do so.

"The Dark Lord, and I, could be practically the same person!" he argued. "We're both part of a prophecy. We're like two sides of the same coin. I could easily fill in where he belongs for you. I could make all your dreams, your desires, come true. Ariel, give me a chance."

Chris wilted at the frown Ariel sent in his direction. Something he had spoken had displeased Ariel yet he couldn't quite figure out what that was. He'd merely spoken the truth from his eyes. Couldn't Ariel see that? There was so much that he could show Ariel, if only he'd permit it. Then Ariel spoke and he understood.

"You aren't the same person little lion. If you could have done the same as the Dark Lord and freed me before he even had the chance to meet me, I would have been with you. I would be by your side against the Dark in this war. But there are obviously differences between the two of you far greater then I can understand for he was the one. He was swift enough to take action, swift enough to understand the clues I gave him and follow what they showed him. He saved me from a life in which I slept for eternity. I choose to repay him for his act by fighting for his side."

It wasn't something that Chris cared for at all. He cared very little that the Dark Lord managed to move faster than he did. The Dark Lord wasn't the one who needed to be by Ariel's side. That man could live without Ariel, Chris on the other hand; he didn't believe he could do it. Ariel had slowly become everything to him.

"You should be with me! I can be what you need. Just ask me." He pleaded.

As Ariel shook his head Chris felt anger. It stirred in his belly shifting and making him ill.

"It's too late for that little lion. The Dark Lord got to me first. It is he who I now hold allegiance. Nothing will change that."

How could he lose to that sadistic man? He should have been everything that Ariel desired. After all there was nothing that the Dark Lord could do that Chris wasn't capable of. His mother and father were always saying he was meant for great things. Even Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix believed he would become great. Everyone believed in him, everyone except for Ariel. Regardless of what Ariel said he could be there for Ariel. He could be everything Ariel had ever desired!

With a snarl he leapt forward colliding with Ariel and forcing him backwards. They stumbled together and fell onto the couch Chris looming over Ariel. Pinning him down, Chris leant forward staring into Ariel's emerald eyes. There was something familiar about them as if he'd seen them somewhere before yet not quite recalling where. Not that it mattered. He once again had Ariel in a position that granted him all the power.

Lips met hungrily. Yet he could feel something was wrong in the way Ariel responded to him. There wasn't as much passion behind his motions. There was nothing behind Ariel's movements that spoke of the previous connection they had. It appeared as if the Dark Lord's rescue had even removed that from Chris' hands. He couldn't get anything!

Chris refused to let that become a problem however as his lips moved down, teeth nipping at Ariel's neck. As soon as he shifted, Ariel's hands pinned beneath one of his, the room darkened. Pausing, Chris watched Ariel's eyes narrow in anger, the emeralds sparking before him. He'd upset Ariel again! How had he managed that?

A tug was the only warning before Chris was flung off Ariel and into a nearby wall. His breath huffed out of him in shock. Ariel stood and turned away from him. Before him Ariel appeared to be an avenging angel. He stuttered.

"Ariel… what…"

Ariel turned towards him emeralds still angry. His sleek black hair curling and twisting in ways that weren't normal.

"I'm afraid this scene isn't going to happen, little lion, not this time, not ever."

Before Chris could utter a word in protest, Ariel faded away.

x-x-x-x-x

Chris snapped forward his breath caught in his throat. Concern and worry twisted within his stomach. His dreams were becoming rather realistic. He could almost feel the stone wall of Gryffindor tower pressing into his back. The stone warmed slightly by the hearth yet were rigid and painful against his clothed flesh. Dreams weren't meant to be so close to reality. Regardless of what he believed he knew that Ariel was the one who had altered his dream as such.

A shiver passed through him at the memory of the displeased glare Ariel had graced him with before it all ended. The harsh features hadn't looked at home on Ariel's face. His beauty had warped into something terrifying revealing a glimpse of the power he kept hidden from everyone. How he'd never realized Ariel had such abilities Chris couldn't be sure. There was simply so much about Ariel he couldn't understand, that he couldn't even begin to see. He hoped that Ariel could see past what had occurred this night.

"Chris?"

Chris remained in bed not moving apart from the heavy breathing. His mother stood over him concern etching her features. Chris could hardly blame her for her concern. He certainly wasn't all that settled at this development either yet he couldn't inform her of that. He couldn't yet tell her what he was dreaming of or what Ariel meant to him. He needed to work this out on his own or Ariel would never have any respect for him. As it was Ariel's respect for him wasn't all that great to begin with.

"What is it mum?" he asked, breath still shaky.

Lily stared at her son knowing that something was wrong. Yet as she couldn't quite understand what was unsettling him, she couldn't help. All she could do was keep a close eye on him. Everyone around Chris expected so much from her beloved child and she was amongst them. However occasionally she remembered her little boy was still that, her little boy, and he wouldn't be able to handle everything thrown his way. Occasionally he needed his mother to be just his mother. This however wasn't one of those times.

"Dumbledore has called another Order meeting."

Chris frowned. The last meeting hadn't been very helpful at all. Little information had been passed through the ranks. He had been able to obtain more information on Ariel but not a lot. In all honesty he hoped that this meeting would be a little more fruitful.

"Why another one?" he asked.

Lily sighed.

"Dumbledore has more information on… the young man beside the Dark Lord. Also at this point you'll probably be asked to become an actual member. However it is more information on the young man that Dumbledore wants to pass on."

Chris jumped up in seconds. A blanket that now lay haphazardly on the floor caused him to stumble. Yet he soon picked himself back up and continued to dress. There wouldn't be anything that kept him from that meeting.

Anything to do with Ariel could grant him knowledge for what he needed to do to gain Ariel's respect. If he could do that then maybe he stood a chance. Once respect had been gained then he could easily move to the next level of friendship and from there it was simply smooth sailing. Ariel might finally see him instead of the person opposing the Dark Lord. Ariel would finally see Chris.

Once dressed, the pair headed out of the guest room together, making their way down to the meeting room. Chris hadn't thought much of it at the time but having everyone within Hogwarts was rather strange especially considering the students roamed the hallways. The holidays were at least a week off yet so many students had already finished there exams leaving them with little to do. They stared as t pair walked past. Curiosity in their eyes couldn't be hidden.

They knew that a few of their classmates had died. The rather lack of Ron and Hermione by his side was also a dead giveaway. However not one person spoke out about it. Then of course there was Neville and Ginny. All of them his friends… all of them dead… Everyone knew Chris had to have been involved in one way or another. That at least explained the rather wide berth they were being given.

Lily had a firm grip on his arm. His mother for some reason had taken to gripping his arm like he would fade away if she let go. The way she would stare at him at time was as if she stared at another. Her eyes would turn mournful and tears would gather. It was downright eerie. He knew however that eventually she would release him. Eventually the look would fade from her eyes and she would return to normal.

Together they entered through a doorway to a room which the meeting was to be held. Dumbledore was the only one to not have currently arrived so he sat down in a chair beside his father. The rather obvious lack of his friends caused a knot to form in his chest. The trio had always been together and though he had recently gained several other friends it still didn't sit right. Ron and Hermione were gone. Neville had also been killed along with Ginny. There was no returning from that.

He and Luna were the only survivors of their group. Yet whilst Chris had suffered a few scraps and cruises, Luna had returned to Hogwarts completely unharmed. Nothing had happened to the more than often air-headed girl. Chris hated that she had managed to escape whilst his friends had suffered. However it only pushed the idea into him that kids weren't meant to go against Death Eaters alone. They simply wouldn't win.

Though everyone within the Order was present all were in mourning. The Weasley's huddled together. Chris would have done over to offer his condolences however he knew they believed he was at fault. They had lost two of their children simply by following him. He almost blamed himself as well. If he hadn't followed his vision he wouldn't have ended up in that position. Why couldn't he have simply seen common sense like Hermione always told him to? If so then perhaps they would have all come out alive.

However dwelling on it now wasn't going to change anything. He had to think on other things. He had to focus on what was important to him and to the entire Wizarding World. Ariel and Voldemort were the main subject matter on everyone's mind. Not only were both exceedingly powerful but they were together. They were allies against them.

"Are we all present?" Dumbledore enquired as he entered.

Nods were given all around, none too keen on speaking up at the current point in time.

"We have gathered to discuss the last encounter with the Dark Lord." Dumbledore began. "Our last meeting was rather brief given the circumstances-"

A chair scraped back as one of the Weasley's broke away from their huddle.

"The circumstances haven't changed!" Molly burst out. "My children are still dead. Have you even thought to contact the Granger's about Hermione? Of course not, simply because it wouldn't do you any good."

The Order appeared ashamed but they needed to move forward. Death was bound to occur during war but they couldn't sit back and simply give time to mourn properly especially when they appeared to be the losing side. If they lost there wouldn't be time for mourning. Voldemort had been more successful in gathering allies than the Light. When it came down to it they simply didn't have the numbers needed to hold the dark at bay. Mourning would be irrelevant for they would be dead as well.

Bill took his mother by the shoulders and sat her down beside Fred and Charlie. He didn't offer any apologies for her actions merely nodding for Dumbledore to continue.

"Our last meeting was rather brief so I shall rehash the details. Voldemort didn't travel to the Department of Mysteries to locate the Prophecy. Instead he has his Death Eaters distract not only members of this Order but several children as well whilst he went to locate the one called Ariel Ashling and coercer the child towards the dark. This is not only a major setback for us but a problem. With this child in his grasp I believe he could truly win this war."

Silence enveloped the group. No one wanted to say it but the war was nearly as good as over for them. They had little to hope for what with their current standing. They couldn't' even use Chris anymore as the upper hand because the Prophecy had already been fulfilled. However they pushed forward because they had people to fight for.

"Chris, why do you believe Ariel sided with the Dark Lord?" his father asked.

With his reaction to Ariel upon their appearance in the Department of Mysteries he couldn't deny that he knew of Ariel. Chris had wanted to keep that information to himself but he'd realized that it wasn't a possibility. If it could help them defeat the Dark Lord then he would grant them the insight only he was privy to.

"He explained to me that he gave Voldemort and me equal opportunity to locate him however he mentioned that because we were different it granted him the greater advantage, the greater chance of succeeding. I suppose because I've already completed the Prophecy it means I'm not as powerful in certain areas of magic compared to Voldemort."

Slowly people began to perk up and listen in to their discussion. They weren't nearly as enthusiastic but they still turned an ear and paid attention. No one wanted to be left out of this conversation if it meant there was some way to regain their position in the war. Many wanted revenge. Many didn't care as long as the Light succeeded.

"What of his unusual abilities?" Moody growled.

"Yes, he called himself an Illusionist. What does that mean?" Kingsley spoke.

Chris nearly scowled but had the foresight to hide it. That was something he was rather curious about as well. Many people who had been present at the Department of Mysteries had all fallen victim to their own fears. The ability was quite impressive but didn't explain much else. What else was Ariel capable of? He turned towards Dumbledore for answers.

"Ariel Ashling was manufactured by the Ministry as I've said before. They found a magical child in the muggle world and warped the child's magic until it only responded from mental prompts. In short Ariel doesn't need a wand or incantation to access his magic."

"They turned the child into a weapon."

Lily's voice cut through the silence. It wasn't often that she spoke up about anything to do with children yet this was something she had taken an interest in.

"In short, yes." Dumbledore agreed. "Ariel Ashling can manipulate people's minds as easily as he can stare into your eyes. Unlike Legillmency he doesn't need the connection. It comes second nature to him. He can also access a lot of information that isn't told to the general public. I doubt there isn't anything he couldn't obtain easily."

This unsettled everyone within the room. The information that the child could possess was phenomenal. To have that much knowledge at ones fingertips would be a huge boon. Yet it was currently in the possession of the Dark Lord. It wasn't a pleasant thought in the least for anyone.

"So in the Department of Mysteries he accessed our inner fears and made them play out all simultaneously." Tonks commented.

The thought alone didn't help anyone. Fears might have been irrational at times but no one enjoyed having them used against their person. It unsettled even the hardest of warriors. Ariel Ashling would be a formidable opponent should anyone come across him in battle.

"Did the You-Know-Who risk being caught this early in his resurrection for this child and nothing else?" Someone towards the back enquired.

"No one quite understands the thoughts or plots Voldemort concocts. If we could then this war would easily be won. However know that we know the significance that Ariel Ashling is to him we have weakness. We have a point to exploit." Dumbledore explained.

James sat forward suddenly drawing attention to himself by the group.

"Is it worth attempting to turn Ariel Ashling from the Dark Side?"

The group turned to Dumbledore who furrowed his brow in thought. Seconds passed as the elderly man sat in silent thought, the silence only broken by the sobs from Molly Weasley. Nerves began to fray the longer the silence passed. Each person tensed with the thought of all that power against them. They relaxed when the thought of all that power joined them. They would be invincible. Eventually Dumbledore spoke.

"The child may have the ability to predict the future to some degree. If we could harness that ability for our use then we would have an even greater advantage."

Moody sat forward eagerly.

"How would we accomplish that?"

"First we will need more information on the situation." Dumbledore turned to Severus. "What news do you have Severus?"

Severus sneered as everyone turned towards him. He could see the hate in their eyes and knew that it was only about to become worse. They didn't trust him at all. But that was alright because he didn't trust them either. Besides he'd already chosen his side in this upcoming war. Though still a spy he'd given all of his effort for the Light and had received nothing in return. With Ariel now beside the Dark Lord his own standing was looking even brighter. Smirking he began his "report".

"Remus Lupin-"

"What about Remus?" James interrupted immediately.

Everyone turned equally unimpressed with James' interruption. James shrunk inward leaving Severus to continue his report.

"Remus Lupin has joined the Dark Lord and his sire. There isn't anyone who would be able to change his decision either. With what has become open knowledge I see many people that will eagerly do the same without remorse."

Shock was openly displayed on everyone's face. Remus had been one of the most caring people in the world. For him to join the Dark Lord and serve loyally this knowledge must have been exceedingly important.

"Severus, what do you know?" Dumbledore asked.

Severus was tempted to smirk. He knew this was going to ruin them all but he couldn't. He needed them to believe he was still working on their side. If his position was compromised this early in the game everything would be ruined. The Dark Lord would never forgive him regardless of how close he was to Ariel.

"Remus Lupin has been reunited with Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter?" Chris questioned. "How is that possible?"

James swallowed. Lily paled. The guilt practically rolled off them. Never had they believed their mistake would tumble into such a drastic mess. Together they turned to Chris to explain.

"He reeked of dark magic after the attack at Halloween. We couldn't have that in the house what with you there so we handed him to an orphanage. We thought that time amongst muggles would disperse the magic and he could return to us." Lily said meekly.

"We were going to go and retrieve him once he'd started Hogwarts. We were going to tell you and him everything and then he didn't show up so we thought that…" James trailed off.

Chris stared in disbelief. He had thought that his brother was dead or living a peaceful life as a muggle. This… this wasn't what he had wanted to hear by coming and listening to this meeting. He'd wanted to simply hear about Ariel.

"What happened to him?" Chris asked in horror turning to the one man with all the answers.

"You dropped him off at the Orphanage and then the Ministry came," Severus continued. Everyone snapped to attention.

"They took your son away along with several other children all of magical heritage and allowed the Unspeakables to mess with their magic. Their magic warped. Most were killed and yet only one survived the ordeal. Your son, your precious Harry, is Ariel Ashling."

* * *

**I told myself I wasn't going to end this on a cliffy and I did. I'm sorry. (Ok... not that worry XD) Hope you enjoyed.**

**~MidnightEmber**


	16. Chapter 16

**~Chapter Sixteen~**

He felt numb. Staring into the Gryffindor common room fire, Chris couldn't believe what was happening. It had yet to truly hit him and he was hoping it never did. He rather doubted he could handle the entire notion and complication that was his life. As it was, these facts continued to sweep past his conscious making it harder to concentrate on the fire flickering before him. If he could concentrate on the red and golden flames than maybe he could convince himself, maybe he could forget…

Ariel was his brother.

Yep, there it was. Chris sighed, his head falling into his hands. The very person he had been lusting over was his twin, his brother. Every single moment they had shared had been incestuous and he'd never figured it out. Never had he felt the connection that had once belonged to only them. His skin crawled thinking about it but his body and mind still lusted for the other teen. The very notion of this terrified him like nothing else.

Chris figured their bond had been warped by their separation at such a young age. He'd read, when he'd become curious, that twins had a special bond and simply watching Fred and George was enough to make that statement accurate. Yet that explanation didn't help much for anything else his twin had suffered through because of their separation. Chris might have had a twisted bond but Harry's very magic was warped into something completely unrecognizable.

His brother had been through so much and Chris had known nothing about it. He'd lived a life of luxury obtaining anything that he desired by merely asking. On the other hand, Harry had never had anything to his name. He'd held nothing but the threadbare clothes upon him. He'd cried out for help to anyone he could ensnare yet none had been able to help him. Harry had even called out to him in his dreams for help but all Chris could do… all he could do…

Chris shivered. How could he not have seen the similarities between them? Certainly they weren't identical by any stretch of the imagination but they were still twins. He should have felt… noticed something about Ariel that drew in his attention. There had to have been something that sparked recognition.

Thinking on it now, Harry did have the same coloured hair, their father's hair. Though Chris kept his short so it would curl in every direction, he was betting that Harry kept it long to avoid such a problem. His eyes were green a similar shade to their mother's only brighter though Chris had his father's eyes. Then there was their height. They were similar yet Harry was a little shorter and slimmer but that might have been due to the abuse rather than anything biological.

Cursing, he leant back against the couch running a hand through his hair the motion picked up from his father. How could he have missed something like that?

His parents weren't taking it well either. Though they had given the child away to begin with they weren't taking anything well. Chris could still hear his mother's screams of denial and his father screaming in general at Snape. The entire room had been up in arms with what had been unveiled.

The room had exploded with voices, each a different accusation for the couple. James, Lily and Dumbledore had been the centre of attention with Snape answering as many questions as he was permitted given his spy status. The answers weren't pleasant to hear in any state of mind. They were told of the Unspeakables and their terrible plots to make Harry into something of a weapon because of his connection to the Dark Lord. Snape couldn't go into detail as much as they desired to know, not because he wasn't permitted but because he didn't know the details.

Nothing had been right afterwards, the entire room had fallen silent in contemplation. Chris had simply walked out not thinking about anything other than the shocking news. He'd abandoned his parents to the deluge of hate and hadn't cared. Even now that he had removed himself from the situation he couldn't bring himself to care. All he wanted was Ariel. He wanted Harry by his side as it was meant to be.

Together they would take care of the Dark Lord and all of his Death Eaters. He would have no need for his dead friends or his failure of a family. He wouldn't need Snape to spy any longer on the Dark Lord's following. But most of all he wouldn't need Dumbledore ruling his life. All he needed… all he wanted…

Chris curled up into a ball, tears streaming down his face. All he wanted to do was sleep and never wake. This was a disaster.

x-x-x-x-x

James sighed. Eventually he and Lily had managed to escape the accusations of their fellow Order members. However the damage was already done. There was nothing from stopping them informing the press about what had happened to the youngest Potter. Certainly he didn't plan to stop them.

What they had done to their sons was inexcusable however during the height of the last war they hadn't been thinking all that clearly. Everyone wanted something different and he couldn't have interpreted anything. After the attack on their children Dumbledore had come around and spouted nonsense about dark auras and needing to be separated. The new parents had easily bought into it fearing for their lives.

However James had always believed the decision had been wrong. Not that it helped at all. Harry had disappeared and by then everyone knew they had given their son away. It hadn't been handled at all like they had planned and in the end Dumbledore still came away with a clean record… except for this time.

Dumbledore was in as deep as they were now and there was nothing to be done about it. James at least could see where they went wrong and admitted so to the group before leaving. Lily and Dumbledore were adamant they had done the right thing. Lily raged on and on about how that dark child was ruining their lives. James couldn't see it. All he saw was the child they'd abandoned finally gaining freedom and paying back what had happened to him.

He'd remembered what Ariel had shown him in the Department of Mysteries. Standing in the middle of their lounge room at Godric's Hollow everything around him had melted. The walls collapsed in and covered the furniture. Every single photo they kept on the mantelpiece faded into nothing. Yet one photo had stood out amongst the rest. It was the only photo they still held that revealed they had two sons.

They'd been only a few months old in the photo both lying side by side eyes wide open and staring at the camera. James and Lily had been cooing at them to keep their attention whilst the photo had been taken. It was the only memory of Harry that he had everything else had faded with time.

He had failed Harry and Chris. Nothing could ever be the same again but he was willing to make it work. When they managed to get Harry back then they could attempt to be a family once again. Then they could finally be whole again. Until then everything would simply continue to spiral out of control.

James sighed as a knock at the door echoed around the room. When would this be over? He answered the door.

x-x-x-x-x

Ariel woke, a smirk dawning on his face. Last night had been the clinching factor for his plans. His brother was right where he wanted him. Add that to the news Severus had delivered to the Order and his plans were falling into place one after the other. It was so easy, so perfect. His revenge was so simple he almost couldn't believe it was occurring as he envisioned.

Turning in bed, he looked at the Dark Lord and smiled. Tom was an unexpected bonus.

When he'd begun calling to people for help, he'd never imagined that he would ensnare the Dark Lord. After their first meeting, Ariel had been in shock. Certainly he hadn't planned to ensnare the man but he was glad it had occurred in such a way. Tom was nothing like he'd imagined. He wasn't perfect not by a long shot but there was something about him that simply oozed protection. Ariel felt safe with him.

The man once he'd found Ariel hadn't pushed anything. He hadn't attempted to force him into any relationship that could be harmful or disrespectful unlike some of the others had planned for him. Ariel was quite thankful the Dark Lord was in fact the one to locate him. Their meeting had been bitter sweet for neither had any idea how to approach the situation yet loved the fact they had each other. Finally nothing could keep them apart… except themselves.

Scarlet eyes opened, awake and alert in seconds yet pulling Ariel in closer at the same time. The contradiction of his movement and his emotions caused Ariel to laugh breathlessly.

"Good morning." Ariel whispered taking in the Dark Lord's appearance.

The man wasn't the most attractive however his appearance wasn't what solely drew Ariel's attention. He loved the man's intellect and how he could think of numerous scenarios to differing changes in war. He was swift in attack and only defended when he had to. The Dark Lord was the embodiment of the snake his ancestors stood for.

The Dark Lord gave a twitch of his lips indicating a smile whilst tugging Ariel closer. Ariel took it as a decent reply for early morning. It was likely the only reply he was to receive for his efforts. They remained wrapped in each other for a moment just listening to the sounds of the dawn echo in through the window. Considering they'd gone to bed at dawn, they knew they'd slept for an entire day.

"How are you meant to spend eternity with me?" the Dark Lord whispered.

He'd known that question was bound to crop up eventually. Ariel knew it was one of the many things the Dark Lord worried constantly over yet refused to reveal. Being alone was how he'd spent his entire life. He'd watched as his friends had grown old, had children, and eventually died. Then their children had children of their own and he was still left alone. To finally have someone capable of pleasing him emotionally only to lose them to age wasn't something desired by any.

However Ariel wasn't certain how to explain this. The topic was quite complex and while he had no doubt Voldemort would understand what he spoke of he wasn't certain it would be pleasing to hear. After all few lived after revealing they knew. Regulus was evidence of that.

"When you attacked that night on Halloween determined to be rid of my brother and I, you had undergone a ritual." Ariel started.

The Dark Lord froze. How did Ariel know this? No one had known about that particular success in his goal towards immortality. There weren't any remnants of his attempts lying about or any of his failures. Surely no one could possibly have known about this. Yet Ariel was hinting at exactly that. Reluctantly he permitted this conversation to continue needing desperately to know what information Ariel kept.

"When your soul was sent from your body during your failed attempt the part that you'd broken away had no direction. It couldn't travel with you as you were little more than a spectre. Instead it chose to travel to the nearest healthy body it could find."

Red eyes narrowed. It couldn't be possible!

"It travelled to you." He uttered in near disbelief.

Ariel nodded.

"It travelled into me. Chris had been harmed by your attack but I was healthy. I've carried a part of you for nearly my entire life with no way to be rid of it or to trap it within a safe part of my mind. It ran rampant around and caused my magic to take a rather dark leaning."

Ariel relaxed against the Dark Lord's hold. The man gripped him like nothing would ever rip them apart. The possession Ariel felt emanating from the man couldn't compare to anything he'd felt in his life. He felt comfortable leaning into the restricting embrace.

"My parents didn't understand what was happening. Dumbledore had little idea either. So instead of attempting to research further they abandoned me. My body began undergoing several transformations in the time I spent away from them and lying in that tomb within the Ministry. My dear Dark Lord, having your soul makes me immortal. As long as you survive, I survive. No one can take us away from each other."

The Dark Lord shuddered wrapping his arms further around Ariel's waist. The reassurance he felt when Ariel mentioned that astounded him. He never wanted to be parted from the one he'd worked so hard to obtain. Christopher Potter wouldn't be able to have Ariel. He'd kill the child off long before that would ever occur. Ariel smiled knowing what Tom thought.

"We should get up and attend breakfast. I'm positive there are numerous people waiting for us to surface."

Voldemort could imagine what would be on their minds. He'd made it clear he would be taking Ariel as his partner in crime and life. The fact Ariel was so young bothered quite a few of them. However he wasn't about to simply allow them to ruin what he'd finally gained. It had taken quite some time for this to come about and he wasn't letting it go.

Together they dressed in slightly more appropriate robes of green (for Ariel) and black (for the Dark Lord), heading for the Dining Hall. As they entered they took note of those that had managed to wake to greet them. After the previous night not many had surfaced once again. Those noticeably missing were Bellatrix and both Lestrange brothers. The other Inner Circle had managed to wake and was sitting at the table though appeared a little worse for wear.

"Good morning." Ariel smiled.

The Inner circle replied with various greetings all pleased to notice their master hadn't bothered to punish them for not standing as they entered the room. Ariel might not have been able to calm the Dark Lord but he certainly kept his darker nature at bay especially in the morning. Remus of course ignored all protocol and hugged Ariel ignoring the glare he was receiving from the Dark Lord.

A calm hand slid into the Voldemort's making his tense figure calm. Together they walked the length of the room and took the two seats at the top of the table. Remus claimed a seat beside Ariel while Fenrir took his other side. Lucius had already claimed his usual spot to the Dark Lord's right.

"We were worried the pair of you wouldn't turn up today." Fenrir growled.

The joke missed its mark as their leader sent a rather narrowed glance at the wolf, magic rising within the room. The Inner Circle tensed ready for the outburst.

"Relax, Fenrir didn't mean what he implied." Ariel explained. "He only meant you've been taking care of me."

Ariel smirked as Fenrir burst into laughter nearly falling off his chair. Remus frowned at the implication but let it go as did Lucius and Severus. They weren't about to attempt to fix this if it went south. The Dark Lord appeared disgruntled but accepted Fenrir hadn't meant anything too damaging by his words. Ariel wasn't hurt by the words so the wolf could live another day.

"I like you pup." Fenrir rumbled once he'd finished laughing. "You and I shall get along quite well."

"I do believe you have some explaining to do." Severus brought up; displeased he'd been left out.

He enjoyed that Ariel could joke with others. It provided evidence that he wasn't as damaged as a teen should be growing up within the Ministry. However it didn't make allowing Ariel to wander around any better. He wanted to make certain Ariel was perfectly healthy in both body and mind. His potions should have taken care of his body's health but the mind was a different and difficult thing to work.

"I suppose I do." Ariel agreed as he pulled a few dishes towards himself and began serving.

That signalled the beginning of whatever meal they could call this. It certainly couldn't be called breakfast what with this array of foods. Yet it wasn't quite a lunch spread either. None cared however as they were finally eating after a lengthy celebration.

"As you are all aware my parents gave me away when I was little due to an overwhelming, in their belief, concentration of dark magic seeping from me." Ariel began.

He frowned as a few of the dishes remained unknown to him. Living off whatever gruel the Unspeakables brought him certainly gave him a rather different view on many items. However he piled a small amount of each dish onto his plate, determined to try as many as he possibly could.

"The Unspeakables," he continued, "managed to track me down at age five. Specifically, they tracked the residue from the attack site on Halloween. The idiots were meant to locate the Dark Lord instead they found me. They had no clue as to who I was at the time only that I had the same magic surrounding me as the Dark Lord did. Obviously that was good enough for them."

The group frowned at Ariel's lack of emotion. This had happened to him. Shouldn't he have shown some level of despair or horror at the thought of what would come?

"You seem rather detached from this Ariel." Lucius commented.

Ariel shrugged tasting some sort of vegetable.

"The Unspeakables might have messed with my emotions a little. I don't feel the same fear as you do which is why I can control fear in another's mind. Fear means very little to me."

None had anything to say to counter that. It might have been a useful tool but that meant it could also become a hindrance if the other side found out. Ariel merely continued speaking as no one gave any further comments.

"Once they discovered that the Dark Lord had caused something to happen that night they all became rather eager to obtain permission for experimentation. I of course was moved from my location to the Ministry where I found my own little section of the Department of Mysteries. There were other children present as well however they were being tested for numerous other things not related to my condition."

Severus couldn't believe what he was hearing. Experimentation certainly should never have been done on a child let alone one with well-connected parents. Having the surname Potter should have spared Ariel numerous tortures and yet it had done nothing. The Unspeakables had ignored every little piece of evidence of Ariel's true name effectively erasing the child known as Harry Potter and instead creating Ariel Ashling. Add to this he wasn't the only child experimented on, it brought a lot of shame upon the Ministry.

"Each experiment was more painful than the last." Ariel recounted. "I don't know exactly what their goal at the time was. There was only pain and looming faces at such a young age. I held little hope that anyone would come to my aid considering what my parents had also done to me as well. I was a lost child."

A brief expression crossed his face yet not one of them could tell what exactly that expression had hinted at.

"As I aged in their environment I began to realize certain abnormalities within myself. I knew information not told by the workers around me. The information came to me because I was beginning to become connected to the Ministry. Eventually they began to figure out this was one of my new 'gifts' along with the fact I didn't need to use a wand to work magic. That was when everything simply began to go downhill." Ariel explained a small sad smile on his face.

Many of the Inner Circle couldn't look at Ariel as he spoke. They were so full of rage to what had happened to the teen. How could their government attempt something such as this? Children were meant to be sacred and not treated like experiments waiting to go wrong. They were disgusted.

"How is it possible that you don't fight against me?" The Dark Lord questioned softly in the silence.

No one dared to move as he spoke. They had no idea how their master could believe it was his fault. There hadn't been anything anyone could have done let alone him, the Dark Lord especially.

Ariel turned towards the Dark Lord smiling reassuringly. He took the others hand in his and spoke.

"Tom, dear Tom, you are also the one who set me free. You didn't force those people to do what they did. You didn't force my parents to give me up and until a few months ago you didn't know I existed. There is nothing to blame you for."

The tender moment disappeared after that with a glare. No one commented on the fact their master had appeared human for a few seconds. No one commented at all so Ariel once again continued his story.

"After they had realized what they were creating they began making plans to shut the program down. They couldn't have one of their experiments having intimate knowledge on hidden details not even their bosses knew about. Only by that time I could access all the information within the Ministry including items they kept from me. I knew what they were planning and I wasn't about to allow them to go through with it."

The group sat tense within their seats. Knowing how the Dark Lord had found Ariel next it wasn't much of a surprise what they had chosen to do. Instead they were more concerned about how this had affected Ariel. After all it had left him spending years asleep within the very place he'd been tortured.

"When they entered the room their blood began to spill." A glint entered Ariel's eyes they were all too familiar with. "I killed all of them. None of them lived to see the next day but not before one of them managed to inject me with a sleeping potion."

Severus was horrified. Injecting a potion directly into the blood steam didn't allow for it to weaken as it was swallowed into the stomach. The full effects of the potion would have been unleashed leaving Ariel in the state they had found him in. It would have been devastating to the system.

"Why would they even believe that was a good idea? They should have known better!" He spat.

Ariel shook his head mentioning briefly that they had altered the potion so the dosage wouldn't kill him. An experiment had already been conducted on several of the other children kept in the same area. The disgust the Inner Circle felt for the Ministry only grew.

"The room removed all of the dead bodies before sealing me away in secrecy. I spent years searching for someone strong enough to wake me, to protect me. When one of these people died they would remain in my mindscape as nothing more than a flower so I would remember their sacrifice. Then the Dark Lord found me."

The group smiled tightly still too tense from the previous news. Not that Ariel noticed, he was too busy looking at the Dark Lord. The look was of pure gratitude though there were hints of something else no one wanted to ask about.

Lucius was the one to finally ask the question all had been waiting for.

"What do you do now that Ariel is on our side?"

The Dark Lord granted them a feral smile hand reaching over to take Ariel's hand. Everyone sat forward ready to hear what their next plan would pertain.

"The Ministry is our next target. I believe you, Lucius, would make an exemplary Minister. Then with the Ministry in our grasp, Hogwarts will be next and much simpler to take as our own. The Order will have nowhere to cower and we will rule."

* * *

**The next chapter will include reactions from Albus and Lily. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**~MidnightEmber**


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